What help do people with learning disabilities need as they get older?

Approximately 81,000 people older than 50 years are living with learning disabilities in England. Most live at home with family carers and many are not in contact with services. There is a lack of research on how to support older adults with learning disabilities.

Research to be published by Manchester Metropolitan University, funded by the NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme, has found that that a secure, permanent home, access to transport links and green spaces, and support to maintain relationships with family and community are essential to support people with a learning disability and commissioners when planning ahead for older age.

In this summary, researchers observed the support provided for people with learning disabilities aged 40 years and older at nine home or day services in England, including four supported living schemes (independent flats, with or without shared living spaces, and carer support). In relation to their accommodation, and in the best services, people had a secure, permanent and personal home with access to transport links, and green spaces. They:

• lived on their own or chose who they lived with
• maintained relationships with family and community, and had a sense of belonging
• were encouraged to be independent and active, and to fulfil their aspirations; one young person lived in his own house, round the corner to his mother, and kept a cat.

However, the researchers also found room for improvement across all of the settings observed. The best homes or day centres for adults with learning disabilities helped them to live on their own terms, and grow and expand their relationships, interests, and aspirations. But they also found there was a lack of support for people as they aged, for example, in end-of-life planning, and support with mobility, nutrition and appropriate exercise.

Based on their findings, the researchers developed a training module for social workers (opens new window) and family members (opens new window). They have also developed a set of cards with pictures and questions to help people and their carers plan their future care (opens new window). And a full account of this research will be published here (opens new window) in due course

If you found this of interest, the Housing LIN curates a dedicated webpage on Improving housing choice and supply for people with a learning disability or autistic people. Here you can also find another NIHR funded report, Supporting people with learning disabilities to rent their own place.