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The Experiences of Carers of Adults With Intellectual Disabilities During the First COVID-19 Lockdown Period

PATEL, Varsha
PEREZ-OLIVAS, Gisela
KROESE, Biza Stenfert
ROGERS, Gemma
ROSE, John
MURPHY, Glynis
COOPER, Vivien
LANGDON, Peter E
HILES, Steve
CLIFFORD, Clair
WILLNER, Paul
2021

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Background: The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread international restrictions, severely impacting on health and social care services. For many individuals with an intellectual disability (ID) this meant reduced access to services and support for them and their carers.


Aim: The aim of this study was to gain insight into the ways parents of adults with ID coped during the rst 2020 lockdown period.


Methods: Eight parents of adults with ID were interviewed. The recordings of these interviews were subjected to a thematic analysis.


Results: Four main themes were identied: powerless and unappreciated; coping under lockdown; support; and the impact of lockdown on well-being.


Conclusions: The parents of adults with ID who made up our sample reported that they received little support from services and experienced a sense of powerlessness. Nevertheless, they were open to accepting support from family and friends and showed remarkable resilience. These Findings are discussed in the light of the Willner et al. (2020) survey results on parental mental health and coping, and suggestions for future service provision during pandemic conditions are proposed.

Determining Frailty in People With IntellectualDisabilities in the COVID-19 Pandemic

FESTEN, Dederieke A M
SCHOUFOUR, Josje D
HILGENKAMP, Thessa I M
OPPEWAL, Alyt
2021

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Background: Across the world, frailty is part of the guidelines that are being developed in the COVID-19 pandemic for triaging in crisis situations. The Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) evaluates the ability to perform daily tasks to identify frail individuals, potentially excluding those from intensive care (IC) treatment. Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience varying degrees of dependence, distinct from age-related physical deterioration. Using the CFS for triage in crisis situations could potentially unjustiably exclude individuals with ID from IC treatment. Our objective was to compare the classication of individuals with ID
into different frailty categories based on the CFS and the well-studied ID-frailty index and to determine suitability of CFS for evaluation of frailty in individuals with ID during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Methods: This retrospective analysis of the observational healthy aging and intellectual disabilities (HA-ID) study included 982 individuals with ID of ≥50 years, who were classied according to the CFS and the ID-frailty index.


Results: Of the cohort of 982 older adults with ID, 626 (63.7%) would be classifed as moderately frail (CFS score 6), but 92% of this group is not moderately frail according to the ID-frailty index. Furthermore, 199 (20.3%) would be classied as at least severely frail (CFS score 7–9), but 74.9% of this group is not severely frail according to the ID-frailty index. Overall, 730 out of 982 (74.9%) individuals would be incorrectly classied by the CFS as too frail to have a good probability of survival. The ID-frailty index predicts mortality better than the CFS in individuals with ID.


Conclusions: Our results show the CFS is not suitable to evaluate frailty in individuals with ID, with potential dramatic consequences for triage and decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. We strongly recommend using the ID-frailty index when assessing probability of survival for individuals with ID.

COVID-19 outcomes among people with intellectual and developmental disability living in residential group homes in New York State

LANDES, Scott D.
TURK, Margaret A.
FORMICA, Margaret K.
McDONALD, Katherine E.
STEVENS, J. Dalton
June 2020

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In order to investigate whether people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at higher risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19, the COVID-19 outcomes among people with IDD living in residential groups homes in the state of New York and the general population of New York State were compared. Data for people with IDD are from a coalition of organizations providing over half of the residential services for the state of New York, and from the New York State Department of Health. Analysis describes COVID-19 case rates, case-fatality, and mortality among people with IDD living inresidential group homes and New York State through May 28, 2020

 

Disability and Health Journal, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2020.100969

 

COVID19: Impact, advocacy and outreach

INCLUSION INTERNATIONAL
April 2020

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How some organisations are overcoming the challenges of COVID-19 for persons with intellectual disabilities and their families was discussed. Speakers were from Arc of the United States, Inclusion Europe and Canadian Association of Community Living.

COVID 19: Our Members Resources and Processes

INCLUSION INTERNATIONAL

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Inclusion International network is mobilizing to create resources and support to help reach people with intellectual disabilities concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. Information is provided for different countries and communities with some being in accessible formats.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

INCLUSION EUROPE

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A collection of resources for people with intellectual disabilities concerning the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The collection includes "Easy to read" information in many different European languages, a video of 5 ways to keep safe and a list of resources in various European countries.

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