Older Adults

People with a learning disability experience problems related to frailty at a younger age than the general population. The Chronic Frailty Scale is not valid for people with a learning disability. 
A definition of frailty:  ‘a medical syndrome […] characterised by diminished strength, endurance, and reduced physiologic function that increases an individual's vulnerability for developing increased dependency and/or death’.

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: frailty index for older people with intellectual disabilities

NICE Guidance NG96: care and support of people growing older with learning disabilities

About one third of falls in older people with learning disabilities result in injury , with a higher fracture rate than the rest of the population. This may be due to increased risk of osteoporosis. Falls and injuries are avoidable causes of frailty and reduced wellbeing, in addition to causing significant costs in both health and social care. 

Glasgow Caledonian University: injury and falls prevention for people with learning disabilities

Public Health England: preventing falls in people with learning disabilities: making reasonable adjustments

Public Health England: health inequalities - falls and fractures, accidents and injuries

Advance care planning is a way to think about and discuss personal wishes for future care and the end of life. Planning ahead ensures that if a person is unable to make their own decisions, health care professionals understand what is important to them and can give reassurance that the right decisions will be made. An advance care plan (ACP) is not a legally binding document and can be amended at any time: it includes how people would like to be cared for at the end of life and what health care professionals should know about them. It is important that this is provided  for people with a learning disability and they are supported to make these decisions. The RCGP Daffodil standards have recommendations on how to deliver care to people with a learning disability.

RCGP: the Daffodil Standards - a breakdown by standard

Marie Curie: booklets and videos for people with a learning disability

Learning Disability Nursing: advance care planning

British Institute of Learning Disabilities:  End of life care planning and people with learning disabilities

The Victoria & Stuart Project: end of life care planning with people with learning disabilities

Resuscitation Council UK: recommended summary plan for emergency care and treatment (ReSPECT)

BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care: co-designing approaches to advance care planning for people with learning disabilities - building and supporting a team of co-researchers

Marie Curie: palliative and end of life care for people with a learning disability

Learning Disability Nursing: palliative and end of life care