Research Study: Retirement Planning for Workers with IDD
About the study
The Institute on Community Integration’s Research and Training Center on Community Living at the University of Minnesota is conducting a research study to learn what information and resources people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and those who support them need to better understand and plan for retirement. To do this, we need to learn what people with disabilities know about retirement, how they plan for retirement, and what they do in retirement.
In this study, older adults with IDD will talk about retirement in an interview. The researcher will ask questions about what they know about retirement and what they have done to plan for retirement. If they have already retired, the researcher will ask them about what they did to retire and what their life is like in retirement. Then, the researcher will write a short summary of the interview and ask the participant if everything is correct. Participants may have someone support them throughout the study.
Do you know an older person with IDD who is working or has retired?
A researcher will also conduct focus groups and interviews with allies of older adults with IDD. The allies will be family members, employers, or disability service provider staff of people with IDD. During the focus group or interview, a researcher will ask questions about retirement education and planning, factors that impact retirement, and retirement activities of adults with IDD.
Who is eligible?
Adults with IDD who are at least 45 years old and have been employed.
Family members, employers, and disability service provider staff of older adults with IDD.
What will the participant do?
Older Adults with IDD
If an older adult with IDD agrees to be in this study, a researcher will ask the participant questions about retirement in an interview. A researcher will ask about what they know about retirement and what they have done to plan for retirement. If they have already retired, the researcher will ask about what they did to retire and what their life is like in retirement. The interview may be in person or online using Zoom. It will be digitally recorded. Participants may have someone with them during the interview. They may also bring photos or papers to help them talk about their experience.
The researcher will use the recording to type what the participant said in the interview and write a short summary. The researcher will send the summary to the participant and ask if everything is correct or if anything needs to be changed. The researcher will ask for more information if they still have questions.
Family Members, Employers, and Disability Service Provider Staff of Older Adults with IDD
If a family member, employer, or disability service provider staff agrees to be in this study, they will participate in either a focus group or an interview. The researchers will first schedule focus groups with participants. If participants are unable to attend a focus group, a researcher will ask if they would be willing to participate in an interview. If a participant prefers to talk with a researcher one-on-one, they may request an interview any time. The questions in the focus groups and interviews will be the same.
A researcher will digitally record the focus group or interview, which may be in person or online using Zoom videoconferencing. A researcher will transcribe the focus group or interview using the recording and write a short summary. A researcher will send participants the summary to check that everything is correct. The researcher will ask for more information if they still have questions.
What are the benefits of being in this study?
- Participants will get to talk about their thoughts and experiences about retirement. They may enjoy talking about their experiences and may get ideas for their retirement.
- What we learn from this study will help others understand how to better prepare adults with IDD for retirement. The participant may feel good to know they are helping others.
- Participants who complete an interview or focus group and make sure the researcher has everything correct in the summary will get a $50 gift card.
What are the risks of being in this study?
Talking about the challenging parts of retirement may feel uncomfortable or make someone sad. Participants may skip questions they do not want to answer. They may also have someone support them during the interview.
If you’d like to take part, submit the short form below!
If you have questions, please contact Sarah Hall at hall1964@umn.edu from the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration.