ABSTRACT
Non-drug dementia care interventions comprise a broad array of environmental, psychosocial, and non-medical approaches aimed at reducing the impact of behavioural and psychological changes that can be associated with dementia. However, these traditional non-drug resources do not have clear applications for people who also have an intellectual disability. Even so, researchers have identified an increased prevalence of dementia in people with an intellectual disability, and in people with Down syndrome in particular, who are more susceptible than the general population to developing the condition at a younger age. This chapter reports on findings from a study in Scotland, UK, that sought to gauge the efficacy of non-drug interventions for people who have an intellectual disability and dementia. It argues that there is little organisational awareness of the non-drug interventions that are available for people with intellectual disability and dementia and suggests that organisations should develop clear, non-drug strategies for supporting their ageing populations, many of whom may develop dementia in later life.
