Living conditions of adults with intellectual disabilities from a gender perspective

Abstract

Surprisingly, the comparison yielded few differences in living conditions between women and men with ID compared with those found in women and men of the general population. This finding suggests that people with ID were treated as gender-neutral persons rather than as women and men with individual preferences and needs. Thus, it appears that having ID is a more important determinant than gender regarding living conditions for women and men with ID.

Support in Housing: A Comparison Between People with Psychiatric Disabilities and People with Intellectual Disabilities

“…A Swedish official report (SOU 1998:138) indicates that females with disabilities have worse living conditions and receive less help and support than males with disabilities in many respects. In contrast, Umb-Carlsson and Sonnander (2006) found few differences in living conditions between females and males with intellectual disabilities. Because role expectations differ between females and males, it is necessary to study the housing situation of females and males separately.…”

Compulsory School Is Over and Now? Vocational Experiences of Women with Intellectual Disability

“…The development of self esteem and self assurance is as a general rule barely promoted; however, it is not promoted at all in central areas of life which make possible a lifestyle with true self-determination such as employment and housing. These early biographical experiences of being dependent on others in the contexts of family and school translates into reticence and passivity and manifests itself again very drastically during the transition from school to vocational training and employment when it comes to making their own decisions in an effort to lead a self-determined life (Lindstrom & Benz, 2002;Lindstrom, Benz, & Doren, 2004;Umb-Carlsson & Sonnander, 2006). …”

“…In this context, it must be analysed which vocational training experiences women and men with intellectual disabilities have after compulsory education. Empirical studies on women and men with intellectual disabilities repea-tedly point out the particular experiences of discrimination of this target group, which manifests itself first and foremost in the scarce vocational training and participation and which affects especially women with intellectual disabilities (Lindstrom, Benz, & Doren, 2004;Baer et al, 2011;Fasching, 2012aFasching, , 2013aPowers et al, 2008;Römisch, 2011;Schildmann, 2010;Umb-Carlsson & Sonnander, 2006;Winn & Hay, 2009).…”

“…In most cases they find themselves with a very limited range of possibilities of training, mostly in the form of apprenticeships completing simple tasks in the service sector (Fasching, 2012b;Lindstrom & Benz, 2002;Umb-Carlsson & Sonnander, 2006). Even if women with intellectual disabilities are successful in their transition to the labour market, they still end up in the occupational sector which is typically accessed by women with intellectual disabilities (Fasching, 2012b;Powers et al, 2008;Umb-Carlsson & Sonnander, 2006). As a result of the failure to participate in working life, the target group is often confined to working in their family home, and the life areas of work, self-sufficiency and free time are not clearly separated (Römisch, 2011).…”

Self-presentations and intellectual disability

“…As adults, most individuals who are labelled as having intellectual disabilities lead lives that differ from the lives of people in general. Living conditions surveys show that most intellectually disabled people are offered special housing, special work places and special leisure activities (Kittelsaa and Tøssebro 2011;Sö derströ m and Tøssebro 2011;Tideman 2000;Tøssebro 1996;Tøssebro and Lundeby 2002b;Umb-Carlsson 2005).…”