Ageing
4. Health
4.1. The starting point for building health in older years
Photo: Laagendalsposten
Most older persons with ID are strong and healthy survivors of their birth cohorts. They have experienced many historical changes in services they are depend of. Several of them have a background as institutionalised people, excluded from ordinary life in the society. Some have lived together with their family their whole life. The family have carried both the pleasure of having a person with ID in the family and the burden when a society avoids providing adequate social- and healthcare. A provision of health services that give support in:
- A healthy environment that prevent decreased health
- Identification of health risk early, including early signs of ageing
- Management of illness in an appropriately manner
- Preparation of appropriate palliative care and end-of-life decision-making
People with mild and moderate degree of ID need education and encouragement, while people with less ability for self-determination need high quality input. Input that satisfies their need of help and treatment, as well as information and practical support from their ‘persons responsible’
Effective training of health care practitioners influences the quality of health care directed to people with ID. To make it possible to discover early signs of illness and difficult situations, service providers and family members need to understand the importance of:
- Knowing the person well, especially those with major communication difficulties
- Building on the person’s understanding of their own body and health issues
- Recognising special features of illness
- Discovering early onset symptomatically increasing disability as they age