No care plans for special needs elderly

People with an intellectual disability are in many cases now outliving their carers, typically their parents.

A new study also found that many families of people with an intellectual disability have not planned or even discussed future care plans, including in cases where the person may require residential services later in life.

The report, which builds on data collected as part of the continuing longitudinal study on ageing in Ireland, also found that families felt there needed to be flexible services to deal with older people with an intellectual disability, as opposed to the current system which is viewed as “one size fits all”.