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Aging with an Intellectual Disability: A Review of Canadian Literature

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Penny Salvatori ,
Mary Tremblay ,
Judith Sandys  and
Donna Marcaccio
Penny Salvatori
Affiliation:
McMaster University
Mary Tremblay
Affiliation:
McMaster University
Judith Sandys
Affiliation:
Ryerson Polytechnic University
Donna Marcaccio
Affiliation:
Rygiel Homes
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Abstract

The movement away from institutional care to community living, along with improved nutrition and health care, has led to an increased lifespan for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In Canada, those who were born before 1945 represent the first significant group to grow old. Despite the increasing numbers of these individuals, relatively little is known about them, their life experiences, or their needs. They remain a largely invisible, undervalued, and often overlooked population, and are seldom the focus of new policy or program initiatives. This review of Canadian literature reports on issues related to the prevalence, life expectancy and early aging of individuals with intellectual disabilities, describes the impact of changes in social policy on their life experiences, outlines the needs and expectations of older adults and their families and, finally, suggests future directions for policy development and research in Canada.

Résumé

On constate une hausse de la longévité chez les personnes ayant des incapacités intellectuelles, due à la modification de leur encadrement — de la vie institutionnelle à la vie communautaire — et à l'amélioration de la nutrition et des soins de santé. Les individus nés avant 1945 au Canada, représentent le premier groupe d'importance à atteindre la vieillesse. Malgré la croissance de ce groupe d'individus, on sait très peu de choses sur leurs expériences de vie et leurs besoins. En grande partie, cette population demeure invisible, sous-évaluée et souvent oubliée, et n'est que rarement le point d'intérêt de nouvelles politiques ou de programmes d'initiatives. Cet examen des publications médicales canadiennes sur les sujets traitant de fréquence, de longévité et de vieillesse prématurée des personnes ayant des incapacités intellectuelles recouvre trois points. D'abord il expose l'impact des changements dans les politiques sociales sur leurs expériences de vie, ensuite il trace les grandes lignes des besoins et des attentes des personnes plus âgés ainsi que de leurs familles et finalement il suggère de nouvelles approches, dans l'avenir, des politiques de développement et de recherches au Canada.

Keywords

ReviewAgingIntellectual DisabilityMental RetardationRevuevieillissementincapacités intellectuellesarriération mentale
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 17 , Issue 3 , Automne/Fall 1998 , pp. 249 - 271
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1998

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