Aging Problems for those with IDD.

• Position: LIFE EXPECTANCY - Intellectual and developmental disabilities

By 2050, it is projected that approximately 90,000,000 adults will be over age 65. By 2030, it is anticipated that one in five Americans will be 65 or older. These estimates include a large number of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Those with IDD are just as likely to suffer from the same age-related ailments as any other person.

Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, vision and hearing loss, and many other chronic health conditions affect huge percentages of people with IDD, but signs of those problems often go unnoticed.

"Since people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are living longer, we have to shift to ensure we're addressing all the factors that affect individuals as they get older. Supporters need to learn to recognize how chronic conditions like dementia might appear differently in a person with IDD," says Craig Escude, president of IntellectAbility, Clearwater, Fla.

According to the Association on Aging with Developmental Disabilities, the average lifespan of a person with IDD is approximately 70 years old--fairly close to the average American's projected lifespan of 78 years. As with anyone else, it is important for people with IDD to continue living on their own terms. That includes maintaining health and maximizing function, as well as reducing the impact of chronic diseases.

However, those with IDD may have difficulty understanding their own need for greater support and care, while also struggling to communicate with others about that need. In many cases, problems are underestimated as supporters fail to recognize symptoms of age-related health issues.

People with IDD often show signs of earlier medical, functional, and psychosocial changes compared to those without IDD. With those alterations comes a variety of symptoms that may be mistaken for behavioral changes, especially if that person does not use words to communicate. Signs of age-related illness might include distancing themselves from others; increased fear; and loss of interest in daily activities.

Yet, those with IDD also are at higher risk for cognitive conditions like dementia or Alzheimer's. Signs of these diseases might include aggressiveness, forgetfulness, hoarding, incontinence, late-onset seizures, loss of skills, personality changes, sleep disturbances, verbal outbursts, and wandering.

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