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Background: Local governments play an important role in supporting people with intellectual disability to feel included in their local communities and local-level inclusion is an increasing priority for councils and local authorities in many countries. However, people with intellectual disability themselves have had little involvement in setting the priorities for initiatives and activities in their local communities. In the project, we wanted to know what kinds of initiatives were being implemented and what people with intellectual disability felt was important about these activities in their local communities. In this paper, we explore how the involvement of people with intellectual disability has shaped the outcomes of the review and implications for research and practice. Methods: We completed a review of local-level inclusion-building initiatives. We translated the results into accessible formats and our inclusive research team used these to involve six people with intellectual disability in New South Wales, Australia, in exploring their priorities around kinds of activities, quality and depth of inclusion in their local communities. Findings: The data showed that people wanted to share their deep, rich insights and questions about the things that drive inclusion and exclusion--not only their views about the effectiveness of particular kinds of activities. Conclusions: Implications for future policy and practice are that consultation should not be framed narrowly, but invite people with intellectual disability into conversation about change-making at community and societal levels, as well as seeking their views on specific initiatives and activities. This opens up new opportunities to respond to the priorities of people with intellectual disability in local community-building.

Background: Microenterprises are very small businesses requiring little capital and can be an employment pathway for people with intellectual disabilities. This systematic review aims to identify the facilitators, barriers and outcomes from microenterprise. Method: Web of Science, Scopus, EconLit, PsycINFO and ProQuest were searched to identify peer-reviewed studies on microenterprises owned by people with intellectual disability published up to and including 1 October 2019. Results: A total of 1080 papers were independently screened by two reviewers. Six papers met the inclusion criteria. Barriers included lack of access to business expertise and resources, and the tension between growing microenterprises and maintaining eligibility for welfare payments. Formal and informal supports were key facilitators. Outcomes experienced included additional income, skills development, increased confidence and engagement in meaningful activities. Conclusion: Additional research is required to develop an evidence base which may support investment in this employment pathway, making microenterprise more accessible to people with intellectual disabilities.

More than half of older people in long-term care facilities have dementia. Little is currently known about the methods and instruments which can be used to capture the perspectives of older people, including those with dementia, regarding the quality of care provided in such facilities. The main aims of this scoping review were two-fold. Firstly, to identify quality of care instruments that have been applied in long-term care settings. Secondly, to evaluate how these instruments have been developed and validated, particularly in terms of their applicability among older people with dementia. Seven databases (Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, Ageline, CINHAL and google scholar) were searched for relevant literature without any date limit. We used quality criteria adapted from COSMIN (Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health status Measurement Instruments) guidelines to assess the psychometric properties of the instruments. The search identified 16 quality of care instruments which had been used in long-term care settings. Of which, two (12.5%) were specifically designed for older people with dementia, and three instruments (18.7%) were modified for use with older people with mild to moderate dementia. A variety of methods were used to develop the identified instruments including literature reviews, qualitative interviews, expert panel reviews, pre-testing and piloting with older people. None of the identified instruments had been subjected to comprehensive psychometric assessment. Most instruments for assessing quality of care in long term care settings lack alternative communication techniques tailored to people with dementia. This review highlights the need for more rigorous psychometric testing of existing instruments for assessing quality of care in long-term care settings. Several existing measures show promise and may be taken forward for further testing and development for widespread application with older people, including those living with dementia, in long term care settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the experiences of people with acquired brain injury and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on how they maintained their communities and sense of belonging, the strategies they found helpful, and advice they have for improving service provision and community connectedness. Semi structured interviews with pictorial mapping were conducted with ten adults with ABI and six of their family members. Participants responded to recruitment information circulated by a state-wide ABI peer support network in South Australia. Four primary themes were identified from the findings: (1) disruptions to routine; (2) social isolation; (3) using technology; and (4) strategies for staying safe and keeping well. Results are discussed using a social and urban geography lens and a conceptual framework of belonging to explore the experiences of people with ABI and their communities. The study reinforces the role of robust peer/support networks to stay connected, stay well and support others. Government, health services and community groups must provide clear and accessible information and supports, and regularly reach out to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people with ABI and their families during the pandemic. People with acquired brain injury and their families experienced increased challenges to maintaining contact with their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main challenges were disruptions to routine, social isolation, and use of technology for health, therapy and social contact. Strategies to support people with ABI to maintain connections, stay engaged, and access technology and information to stay safe and well during lock-down are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]