Minimizing Health Risks Among Older Adults With Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities: Clinical Considerations to Promote Quality of Life

The number of individuals aging with lifelong intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) is increasing and is expected to double by 2030. People with I/DD have faced a number of health disparities, including health care professionals unprepared to meet their health needs. This article will review age- and health-related clinical considerations among individuals aging with I/DD. The aim is to provide nurses with suggested interventions that promote health, prevent secondary conditions, and foster person-centered care among individuals aging with I/DD to help them live healthy and meaningful lives in their later years

Evidence-based nursing practice with persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Evidence-based practice can be found in almost every professional arena in healthcare today. The term evidence-based nursing (EBN) has been used in nursing since the mid-1990s, although some researchers note its use as early as Florence Nightingale. The Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, defines EBN as an integration of the best evidence available, nursing expertise, and the values and preferences of the individuals, families, and communities who are served. Nursing has a long history and is one of the earliest disciplines to provide services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). This paper provides a brief historical overview of evidence-based practice (EBP), a review of EBN in the context of I/DD nursing, and an explanation of the five basic steps used in EBN. An overview of the literature on EBP in I/DD nursing and a clinical example of the use of EBN practice to promote positive outcomes for persons with I/DD are presented

Multimedia web-based courseware in intellectual and developmental disabilities nursing: from concept to development

Nurses play a vital role in the health care of all people, but nurses report receiving little education in nursing school or as continuing education about the care of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Teaching methodologies that make use of computers and the Internet are being used increasingly in nursing education as a means of developing and distributing nursing education. This paper reviews development of a curriculum for nurses that began as a paper outline and evolved into multimedia, Web-based courseware that teaches about the nursing care of people with IDD