Care and support of people growing older with learning disabilities
The purpose of this guideline is to help commissioners and providers identify, plan and provide for the care and support needs of people growing older with learning disabilities and their families and carers.
It covers integrated commissioning and planning; service delivery and organisation; providing accessible information, advice and support; identifying and assessing people's changing needs; care planning; and supporting access to services including health, social care, housing and end of life care. It aims to ensure that people with learning disabilities are given the help they need to access a range of services as they grow older so they can live healthy and fulfilled lives.
The guideline covers care and support in all settings, including people's homes and family homes, temporary accommodation, supported living (including the KeyRing network and Shared Lives schemes) and specialist accommodation. It also covers day services, residential and nursing homes, and primary and secondary healthcare. A specific age limit is not used in this guideline because adults with learning disabilities typically experience age-related difficulties at different ages, and at a younger age, than the general population. The guideline does not cover people on the autistic spectrum who do not have a learning disability.