Researchers in this Australian study were concerned to consider the issue of planning for future care and support of people with learning disabilities after the death of parental caregivers. They were considered the need to adapt support systems to ensure the best possible quality of life for people with intellectual disability as they grow older. [read the full story…]
Maximising choice and control are key elements of policy in relation to supporting people with learning disabilities, but it is recognised that the choice of where to live and with whom is often denied to people, especially with severe or profound learning disabilities. The researchers in this USA study set out to understand the current [read the full story…]
This longitudinal study followed a cohort of nearly 11,000 people with learning disabilities over a period of 8 years. The researchers were looking at issues relating to those people who had moved from family care and those who had remained. The majority of those followed , 85%, continued to live with their families. For 67%, [read the full story…]
The nature of the interaction between support staff and people with learning disabilities in supported housing is a key factor in quality of life. This study looked at the impact of a video-based contact programme on support staff’s interactions with clients. Seventy-two support staff who supported 12 individuals with visual and learning disabilities took part [read the full story…]
This Canadian paper looked at the situation of people with learning disabilities in Montreal who were homeless, to try to understand the nature of their situation, The paper draws on data from people who were known to a dedicated team in the city working with homeless people. The researchers collected data from files of 68 [read the full story…]
The POMONA II European project developed a checklist of health indicators and this study looked at age-specific differences relating to environmental and lifestyle factors. The study team collected information from a stratified sample of 1,253 adults with learning disabilities across 14 European member states. The results showed that people over 55 were more likely to [read the full story…]
People with learning disabilities and complex mental health problems are often most at risk of being placed in services a long way from their homes, their families and any natural support systems they may have built up. This study interviewed 17 service users directly affected in this way: they had all been placed away from [read the full story…]
