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COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIOURAL PRO FILES OF THE ELDERLY MENTALLY HANDICAPPED
Author(s) -
Hewitt K. E.,
Fenner M. E.,
Torpy D.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of intellectual disability research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1365-2788
pISSN - 0964-2633
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2788.1986.tb01316.x
Subject(s) - cognition , psychology , gerontology , medicine , psychiatry
In 148 mentally handicapped in-patients aged between 65 and 88 years, evidence was found for ongoing intellectual development in adulthood until late middle-age. This was usually followed by a decline in intellectual functioning which became significant in 18%. For these, intellectual deterioration was associated with deficient self-care skills, poor orientation and staff reports of deterioration. It was not related to previous ability levels or prolonged hospitalization. For the entire sample, competence in self-care skills was high though behaviour disturbance was present in about half. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the care and training of the elderly mentally handicapped.