Lived experiences and public health needs of aging and elderly women with intellectual disabilities

Adults with intellectual disabilities(ID) are living longer than ever before and now have life spans almost comparable to the general population. Increased lifespans, deinstitutionalization and changes in support service provision policies have resulted in the first generation of adults with intellectual disabilities to age en masse in the community. As such, health and social service infrastructure may not be in place to accommodate the needs of this aging population and new solutions are needed. We undertook a qualitative study to better understand the needs and experiences of aging women with ID. This poster will review public health needs of aging and elderly women with ID, including residential supports, supported retirement, training for elderly services providers in the specific needs and challenges of elderly adults with ID, record keeping (due to death of parents and/or lack of connection with family members as a result of past practices in institutionalization), community engagement, targeted health education and supported decision making. We will also present the experiences of participants. Key themes include the importance of agency and choice in planning for aging, a desire for health education related to menopause, the beneficial effects of community integration and a desire to “age in place”/remain in a community setting, and the importance of relationships and social connections. Strategies for optimizing aging in women with ID will also be discussed.