Germain Weber, Andreas Kocman University of Vienna Faculty for Psychology

Ageing and Intellectual Disability (AGID) An Online-Training for Carers for Older People with an Intellectual Disability

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Background • Increased life-expectancy of people with Intellectual Disability (ID)

• New challenges in providing care:

» Age-related physical and mental changes

» Decrease in the person‘s autonomy

» Changes in the social and family network

New, specific and profound know-how is necessary to meet these challenges

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AGID Consortium 518175-LLP-1-2011-1--LU-LEONARDO-LMP

• Term of two years: 2012 - 2014

• Partners:

• Supported by:

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Aim Impart age-related knowledge and skills for

» People with ID

» Family members

» Carers of people with ID

» Health-care professionals

Improve the quality of life of people with ID and their carers

Prínciples

» „Nothing about us without us“

» User and stakeholder involvement

» Use of validated and evidence based material

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The Process 1. Evaluate the needs and relevant fields of knowledge for and with all stakeholder groups

2. Create the module content based on the requirements identified

3. Transform the content into an interactive online training

4. Translate the training into 6 languages

5. Evaluate the content and usability of the plattform

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The Training-Platform

• Available online:

http://www.agid-project.eu

• Completely free of charge

• Content divided into six independent modules

• Self-evaluation questionnaires, quizzes and reflection exercises

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The Modules

AGID The aeing process

Person-centered planning

Social networks and communication

Emotional regulation for front-line staff

Pathological ageing in people with ID

Taking care for older people with ID

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Module 1: The Ageing Process

• Aims:

» Providing a knowledge base of the ageing process.

» Exploring how the ageing process effects people with intellectual disabilities.

» Examining the biological, psychological and social issues related to ageing.

» Examine perspectives of healthy and successful ageing

• Content:

» What is ageing? Active ageing for people with IDD

» Social construction of ageing

» Policies for and rights of older people

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Module 2: PCP with Older

People with Intellectual Disability

• Aims:

» Transmit the basics of the person centered planning (PCP) approach to caring for older people with intellectual disability, mainly addressing approach, tools and methods

» Change the professional’s and front-line staff’s view of a person with intellectual disability

• Content:

» An introduction to PCP

» Application of PCP in older people with IDD

» PCP and relevant attitudes and mindsets towards ageing people with ID

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Module 3: Social Networking

and Communication

• Aims:

» To raise awareness of the importance of

social contacts for ageing people with

intellectual disability.

» Enable staff to work with the user’s social network

» Enhance sustaining communication in relation to the user

• Content:

» The concept of a “Social Network“

» Ways to improve the user‘s social network

» Tools to improve communication with ageing users with ID

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Modul 4: Emotional

Regulation for Carers

• Aims:

» Reduce negative effects caused by stress

» Improve the management of challenging situations

» Ensuring a socially responsible behavior towards people with intellectual disability and colleagues.

• Content:

» Emotion regulation and stress for carers

» Consequences of stress and strain

» Strategies to manage stress

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Module 5: Pathological Ageing

in People with ID

• Aims:

» Impart knowledge on common age-related disorders, pathologies and needs in people with ID

» Enable carers to manage common reductions in cognitive or physical functions

• Content:

» Age related disorders, pathologies, their symptoms and health related risks

» Tools to screen the nedds and health of an ageing person with ID

» Strategies to increase health beahvior and quality of life

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Module 6: Taking care – A

complex professional stance

• Aims:

» Reflection of own perception and attitudes of ageing

» Provide carers with tools to assess their own care related practice

» Objectify the needs of people with IDD

• Content:

» The meaning of subjectivity traps

» Methodology to implement and assess the quality of your service

» „Bien-traitance“ – supporting well - as foundation of caregiving

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Impact of Outcomes

• Application of material in trainings for frontline staff across several European countries

• Several seminars were held in Europe

• High initial interest in the plattform

• Currently, ongoing dissemination to foster and establish the training among professionals

Thank you for your attention!

Andreas Kocman, Germain Weber

on behalf of the AGID Consortium

University of Vienna

Faculty for Psychology

germain.weber@univie.ac.at