Health and Community Service Access: Differences and Similarities for Older People With and Without Lifelong Intellectual Disability

Title
Health and Community Service Access: Differences and Similarities for Older People With and Without Lifelong Intellectual Disability
Publication Date
2019
Author(s)
Wark, S
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5366-1860
Email: swark5@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:swark5
Hussain, R
Janicki, M
Knox, M
Parmenter, T
Type of document
Conference Publication
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Place of publication
United Kingdom
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/28633
Abstract
Introduction: Few studies comparatively examine experiences of the mainstream ageing population and people ageing with intellectual disability, and particularly with respect to access to health and community services. This paper reports on the findings of a large-scale Australian study with older people with and without lifelong intellectual disability residing in rural and metropolitan areas.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken across New South Wales and Queensland, and included participants from small rural towns through to metropolitan areas. Adults interviewed included those living in their longstanding community home as well as individuals who had over the past few years moved into residential aged care facilities.
Results: Participants with and without intellectual disability reported difficulty in consistently accessing both mainstream and specialist health and community services. Analyses indicated that the greater geographic distance from metropolitan areas had an increasingly greater impact on individuals' capacity to access services than the presence of lifelong disability. While inner-city individuals without intellectual disability reported best access to services, differences in access between individuals either ageing with or without intellectual disability reduced as distance from the capital city increased.
Implications: Specific barriers to service access are related to geography and disability, with most significant limitations related to living in isolated areas. Attention from health and community service providers is required to address this inequality in service availability.
Link
Citation
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63(7), p. 647-647
ISSN
1365-2788
0964-2633
Start page
647
End page
647

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