Long-Term Care of the Aging Population with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

The aging population with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) deserves appropriate health care and social support. This population poses unique medical and social challenges to the multidisciplinary team that provides care. In the past, long-term care (LTC) facilities played an essential role in the livelihood of this population. The likelihood that the geriatric LTC system must prepare for adequately caring for this population is high. This article conveys the need to prepare for the inclusion of the growing aging population with I/DD into long-term care with the general elderly population in the near future.