Report finds increase in dementia among elderly with intellectual disabilities
A new report has found a worrying increase in the rate of dementia among those with intellectual disabilities.
The Trinity College study - which is the first of its kind in the world - has found that the rate of the disease amongst those with Down Syndrome has almost doubled in three years to just under 30%.
That's compared with about 8% in the General Population. The report notes that people with an intellectual disability are "growing old in considerable numbers" for the first time.
Report author Professor Mary McCarron said she is very concerned - particularly because those with intellectual disabilities are less likely to have the same family supports as the general population.
The report found that older people with an intellectual disability tended to have different types of family and social networks - generally being single without children of grandchildren - and are heavily reliant on staff members at community group homes.
“In terms of social connectedness, our findings show that movement to the community does not necessarily equate with community integration," Professor McCarron said.
"A change of geographical location in its own right isn’t enough ... a renewed effort is needed to ensure that community group homes are organised to support greater levels of genuine integration."
The report also found that the same group were 50% less likely to suffer from high blood pressure and three times less likely to suffer from heart attacks.
