Abstract:Introduction: The major research data and findings related to aging among persons with developmental disabilities are discussed. Topics addressed include prevalence and mortality rates, as well as the effects of aging on the sensory systems, the neuromusculoskeletal system and the cardiopulmonary system. The discussion also focuses on the clinical implications of these changes among aging individuals with developmental disabilities. Conclusion: Although the individual needs of persons with developmental disabi… Show more
“…This is likely due to osteoarthritis and shortened cervical muscles, which, according to Connolly (2006), can occur frequently with the aging process.…”
This study aimed to assess the interobserver reliability of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), which consists of 14 items that evaluate body balance during daily activities. The assessment was made by physiotherapists with extensive or little clinical experience in noninstitutionalized elderly individuals. Participants comprised 12 elderly subjects (10 women and 2 men) with mean ages of 75.8+/-8.4 years (range=63-87) and 18 physiotherapists with varying clinical experience. Interexaminer reliability obtained for each scale item yielded weighted kappa value >0.75 in 11 of the 14 items (varying from 0.37 to 1.0). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the total sum of BBS scores between the two groups of physiotherapists was 0.996 (95% confidence interval, 0.987-0.999) with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.996. We found no statistically significant difference between the rater groups when we compared the sum score means obtained with Student's t-test (p=0.86). Although some items had low reliability values, in general our results suggest that the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the BBS showed acceptable levels of interrater reliability and agreement when used by physiotherapists with different clinical practice levels and without previous training on noninstitutionalized elderly patients.
“…This is likely due to osteoarthritis and shortened cervical muscles, which, according to Connolly (2006), can occur frequently with the aging process.…”
This study aimed to assess the interobserver reliability of the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), which consists of 14 items that evaluate body balance during daily activities. The assessment was made by physiotherapists with extensive or little clinical experience in noninstitutionalized elderly individuals. Participants comprised 12 elderly subjects (10 women and 2 men) with mean ages of 75.8+/-8.4 years (range=63-87) and 18 physiotherapists with varying clinical experience. Interexaminer reliability obtained for each scale item yielded weighted kappa value >0.75 in 11 of the 14 items (varying from 0.37 to 1.0). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the total sum of BBS scores between the two groups of physiotherapists was 0.996 (95% confidence interval, 0.987-0.999) with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.996. We found no statistically significant difference between the rater groups when we compared the sum score means obtained with Student's t-test (p=0.86). Although some items had low reliability values, in general our results suggest that the Brazilian-Portuguese version of the BBS showed acceptable levels of interrater reliability and agreement when used by physiotherapists with different clinical practice levels and without previous training on noninstitutionalized elderly patients.
“…To reach adequate statistical power ( β = 0.80), this model required at least 52 participants. We did not include age as a covariate in the initial three‐group statistical model as the onset of aging effects occurs earlier in adults with intellectual disabilities, including PWS, compared with healthy adults (Connolly 2006; Lin, Wu, Lin, Lin & Chu 2011; Mimi, Kwan & Lau 2018).…”
Background The present study investigated the influence of emotional contexts on mental flexibility in adults with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) using a voluntary task-switching paradigm that was implemented with emotionally valenced pictures. The study aims were to assess whether adults with PWS have impaired switching abilities, whether the deficit is specific to PWS or linked to intellectual disabilities, and the influence of emotional contexts on performance. Method The task-switching performance of 30 adults with PWS was compared with that of 30 healthy adults matched on chronological age, and to that of 30 adults with intellectual disabilities but without PWS, matched on intellectual quotient level and chronological age. Indicators of switching performance were switching cost and repetition bias. Emotional contexts were operationalised with positive, neutral and negative task-irrelevant pictures. Results Adults with PWS showed a large increase in switching costs compared with the two control groups, and this effect did not vary across emotional contexts. More fine-tuned examination revealed subtle performance modulations: negative contexts tended to increase the repetition bias in all three groups while positive contexts slowed down global performance in PWS. Conclusions The results confirmed previous studies, showing impaired switching abilities in PWS over and beyond the influence of intellectual level, but revealed no robust variations in switching deficits across emotional contexts.
“…It has been suggested that people with intellectual disability experience aged related changes from the third decade in life (Connolly, ; Coppus, ); therefore, participants in the larger cohort study were adults with intellectual disability aged 35 and over. Those participants who fell in the first phase of the study were purposefully sampled and recruited for the follow‐up interviews.…”
Background
Adults with intellectual disability experience high rates of falls making falls prevention an important health need. The purpose of the study was to seek perspectives of older adults with intellectual disability and their caregivers to (a) explore the experiences of older adults with intellectual disability when seeking healthcare services after a fall and (b) identify enablers and barriers when taking up evidence‐based falls recommendations.
Method
A qualitative exploratory study was undertaken as part of a prospective observational cohort study. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample. Data were analysed thematically using Colaizzi's method.
Results
Seventeen interviews were conducted (n = 21). Emergent themes demonstrated that participants had limited knowledge about falls prevention. Enablers included individualizing falls prevention strategies. Barriers included not being offered access to established falls prevention pathways.
Conclusion
There is an urgent need to develop high‐quality falls prevention services for older adults with intellectual disability.
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