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Impediments to community‐based care for people ageing with intellectual disability in rural New South Wales
Author(s) -
Wark Stuart,
Hussain Rafat,
Edwards Helen
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
health and social care in the community
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.984
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1365-2524
pISSN - 0966-0410
DOI - 10.1111/hsc.12130
Subject(s) - intellectual disability , thematic analysis , government (linguistics) , focus group , delphi method , public relations , business , medicine , gerontology , economic growth , qualitative research , political science , sociology , marketing , social science , linguistics , philosophy , statistics , mathematics , psychiatry , economics
Abstract The emerging phenomenon of ageing with an intellectual disability has become subject to an increasing research focus in recent years. However, there remains little knowledge regarding the specific impediments that community workers face in supporting this cohort. The aims of the current study were to identify the major factors that, direct care staff believe, have most impact upon individuals ageing with an intellectual disability in the community. A three‐round D elphi project was conducted across rural areas of N ew S outh W ales in A ustralia with 31 disability support workers to gain their perspectives on the main impediments facing a person ageing with intellectual disability. The 2010 study identified that the issue of ageing with an intellectual disability was presenting significant problems for community‐based service delivery to this group of people. The panel identified 25 different impediments to the provision of support. A thematic analysis of the items indicated three main themes of ‘funding’, ‘training’ and ‘access to services’. By identifying these impediments to supporting people ageing with an intellectual disability in the community, both services and government funding bodies have the ability to plan to overcome both current and future problem areas. This identification of impediments may facilitate individuals to receive more appropriate assistance, which in turn may lead to an improved quality of life and maintenance of a community‐based placement rather than premature admission to the congregate‐care system. This study is particularly timely, given that A ustralia is in the midst of implementing a National Disability Insurance Scheme, and is an opportunity for all levels of government to agree on the mechanisms to appropriately assist individuals with an intellectual disability to continue to be supported in the community as they age.