From Mainstream Employment to Mainstream Retirement: A Randomised Controlled Trial of a Transition to Retirement Intervention for Adults with Intellectual Disability

Description

Background: We evaluated a transition to retirement intervention that adapted strategies used to support employment of people with intellectual disability in mainstream workplaces. The intervention facilitated their independent participation in mainstream community groups and volunteering.

Methods: We randomised 29 older Australians who currently/previously worked in mainstream employment into an intervention group or wait-list control group. Hours of independent participation in target activities were collected before and after the 13-week initial intervention/waiting period, and at 52 weeks for intervention participants.

Results: Six of the 12 intervention participants selected an activity and increased hours of independent participation following 13 weeks in the Keeping Active (KA) program and eight were independently accessing their selected activity at 52-week follow-up. None of the 19 wait-list participants increased their independent participation after 13 weeks.

Conclusions: The intervention was effective and highlighted the need to account for factors such as participant choice in evaluation of individualised programs.

Suggested Citation

Brotherton, M., Stancliffe, R. J., O’Loughlin, K., & Wilson, N. J. (2023). From mainstream employment to mainstream retirement: A randomised controlled trial of a transition to retirement intervention for adults with intellectual disability. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.13111

Details

Date
2023 
Type
Peer-Reviewed Article 
Publisher
British Institute of Learning Disabilities

Topics

  • Community life
    • Aging and retirement
  • Specific life stage
    • Adults
  • Specific disability
    • Intellectual/developmental disability (IDD)