ABSTRACT
An ageing population People with intellectual disability are an ageing population. In the past, few people with intellectual disability lived beyond childhood, whereas the majority can now expect to reach middle or old age. There are many reasons to account for this increase in lifespan. In part it reflects the increase in lifespan that has been seen for the whole population over the past century. However, there are factors that have had a greater impact for people with intellectual disability. These include improved access to medical treatments (e.g. surgery for congenital heart disease, antibiotics for chest infections), the move away from institutionalised living settings which potentiated the spread of infections such as tuberculosis, better lifestyles within the community, and more person-centred care enabling better nutrition, healthcare and social fulfilment. In the UK there are now more people with intellectual disability aged 40 years or over than there are children with learning disabilities. Older people with intellectual disability are increasing in number, and this trend will continue.
