Satisfaction with living arrangements of older adults with intellectual disability

Living arrangements for older adults with intellectual disability are an important aspect of service provision. However, relatively little work has examined service users’ satisfaction and dissatisfaction with where they live. Interviews were conducted with 92 service users with intellectual disability aged over 40 living in residential accommodation or with parents or guardians. A questionnaire addressing service users’ living arrangements was completed by 103 carers or guardians. Service users identified physical features of living arrangements, the provision of activities, and staff as primary contributors to satisfaction. Primary contributors to dissatisfaction were staff issues such as hindering personal independence, impatience and personnel shortages. Service users living with family or guardians were more likely to report being happy but also to report loneliness than those in group homes. Carers’ responses largely mirrored those provided by service users but differences emerged with respect to appropriateness of existing accommodation.