POLICY, SERVICES AND STAFF TRAINING FOR OLDER-PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN THE UK

This paper considers the extent to which awareness of the growing numb er of older people with intellectual disability in the UK has translat ed into action. It does so by looking at current policy, training and services for older people with intellectual disability. Information wa s collected from two sources: an analysis of the 1993/1994 Community C are Plans and a national survey on policy, training and services for o lder people with intellectual disability. The analysis of Community Ca re Plans revealed that 67% made no reference to older people with inte llectual disability. The remaining 33% mentioned such people mainly in the context of the need for service development. 82% of the 236 repli es to the national survey indicated that there was no policy in relati on to older people with intellectual disability and 74% indicated an a bsence of specific staff training. 53% of respondents were aware of se rvices in their area specifically for older people with intellectual d isability and 76% were aware of generic services for the elderly in th eir area that were used by older people with intellectual disability. Finally, the results of a consultation exercise regarding the developm ent of a training pack in ageing and intellectual disability are prese nted. The results highlight a lack of consensus about how services sho uld be provided and, in many cases, a lack of provision.