The social and community involvement of older Australians with intellectual disabilities.

This paper describes the involvement of older people with intellectual disabilities in residential- and community-based activities and programmes. The 446 participants were selected from a national database of people of 55 years of age and over with intellectual disabilities in Australia. The data indicate that participants made infrequent use of public amenities and social and recreational facilities. With the exception of those living with relatives, most had limited contact with family and friends. The discussion draws attention to the need for independence training which will enable the current generation of middle-aged people with an intellectual disability to make decisions and choices about social and community activities.

Employment, retirement and elderly persons with an intellectual disability.

A national Australian study of people with an intellectual disability of 55 years of age and over investigated their employment and retirement patterns, attitudes to work and retirement, and the degree to which they were involved in leisure or recreational programmes. Two cohorts were recruited: one included all known members of the target group who agreed to participate in the study in the states of Queensland and Western Australia; and the second was a proportional, random sample drawn from a national database on a state population basis. A large number of the participants had never been involved in full- or part-time employment, either in a competitive or supported environment, or in workshops. The majority of those who had worked expressed strong positive attitudes toward employment and concern about retirement, suggesting the need for pre-retirement programmes including transition and choice-making skills to prepare participants for the future.

Residential circumstances of older Australians with mental retardation.

Residential circumstances of Australians 55 years or older with mental retardation were investigated. Data were collected via interviews from 446 individuals living in Queensland and Western Australia who were identified following an extensive national search. Although survey results indicated that older people lived in a wide variety of residential settings, the majority still resided in large private or public institutions. There is evidence that deinstitutionalization had occurred, although it affected only 35% of the cohort. One important finding in the study concerns the relatively minor role participants play in determining their future care and residential needs. Interviews established that less than 10% of those in each sample would be involved in future decision-making processes.