How Can Social Work Practice Facilitate a Dignified Dying Experience for People With Intellectual Disabilities? A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT

Due to improvements in healthcare and the standard of living advancing, the life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) has increased, with a greater number of people with ID now included among the ageing population. The aim of this review was to understand how social work practice can facilitate a dignified dying experience for this group of people. Six academic databases were searched with thematic analysis of included articles. The review included empirical qualitative, quantitative, mixed method studies as well as literature reviews, conceptual articles, and grey literature. Forty-five studies met the inclusion criteria, and four themes were identified. The review concluded that the establishment of social work specific research is necessary for the profession to understand systemic barriers and how opportunities can be implemented for a more enhanced and equitable dying experience.

IMPLICATIONS

• People with ID experience difficulties in accessing high-quality palliative care and are excluded from autonomous decision making and education across the lifespan.

• There is a lack of social work research in the field of disability. More research will bring to light the distinctive contribution social workers can play in this interdisciplinary field.

KEYWORDS:

• Intellectual Disability
• Intellectual Disabilities
• Death
• Dying
• Palliative Care
• End-of-life
• Social Work

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).