Hospital experiences of older people with intellectual disability: Responses of group home staff and family members

Abstract

Background This study reports on the hospitalisation experiences of older adults with intellectual disability living in group homes.

Methods Grounded dimensional analysis was used to guide data collection and analysis. Group home residents were tracked prospectively over a 3-year period. Interviews were conducted with family, group home, and aged care staff and managers, and some residents.

Results Findings highlighted the difficulty people with intellectual disability experience in hospital settings. Findings revealed extensive strategies undertaken by family members and group home staff to improve hospital experiences. Ageing of the family members and staffing implications for group homes complicated efforts to improve hospital experiences.

Conclusions The current absence of systems to accommodate the special needs of people with intellectual disability in hospital settings has significant consequences for group homes, family members, hospital staff, and residents. Most hospital systems appear to be poorly designed to care for this vulnerable population.

Keywords:

• hospital
• intellectual disability
• group homes
• communication