Ageing and Intellectual Disability - The Rural Perspective

In recent years, a combination of factors have seen life expectancies for people with disabilities increase dramatically. While this improvement is naturally a very desirable outcome, it is resulting in a new crisis; how are a substantial number of people with an intellectual disability going to be supported as they start experiencing age-related issues? The majority of research so far focussed upon people with disabilities but little information is available regarding how support organisations and carers deal with these issues. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding from on-the-ground staff within rural and remote areas regarding what they perceive to be the most pressing issues facing them as they support people with disabilities who are ageing. From these findings, it was possible to determine the training and support needs for staff through their own identification of priority areas. The two-fold goals of the project are to provide rural organisations with support and training models regarding concurrent ageing with intellectual disability, as well as to seek assistance from relevant government departments specifically for specialised programs aimed at addressing any shortcomings or areas of weakness. The current paper outlines the Delphi research model used to gain the ideas and thoughts of disability support workers with respect to ageing issues. The recommendations of the research for both Government and disability organisations are presented, with particular emphasis upon the support and training that can be implemented to assist rural disability support workers to work more effectively, efficiently and safely.