Health and Wellbeing in Developmental Disabilities

Additional authors: Eden Harriman (Registered Dietitian, University of Saskatchewan); Emma Kerr (Registered Dietitian, University of Saskatchewan); Tessa O’Bertos (Registered Dietitian, University of Saskatchewan); Martina Richmond (Registered Dietitian, Saskatchewan Health Authority); Jessica Lieffers (Registered Dietitian, University of Saskatchewan)

Canadian dietitian knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) were investigated in 2024 via a cross-sectional online survey. To our knowledge, this is the first time a study has been conducted of this nature in Canada. Many dietitian respondents have supported patients/clients with IDD; however, they reported a strong gap in education, skills, and resources in this area. These findings can be used to improve dietetic training and practice as well as inform future strategies to help reduce the shortcomings in healthcare experienced by people with IDD.

Additional authors: Barry Isaacs (Director, Research, Evaluation and Education, Surrey Place)

The Urgent Response Service (URS) is one of several offerings available through the Ontario Autism Program. The URS is designed to address emerging problem behaviours in children and youth through short-term behavioural intervention. The program also offers respite and service navigation supports. The goals are to stabilize the situation, avoid crises and reduce risk of harm. Since it’s inception the Toronto Region URS has been collecting information on client and family characteristics, and over the last year has been monitoring outcomes using the Child and Adolescent Need and Strengths (CANS) tool. Results from this evaluation data will be presented.

Additional authors: Kayla Kostal (PhD Student, University of British Columbia); Maria Baranowski (PhD Candidate, University of Manitoba); Margherita Cameranesi (Assistant Professor, Saint Mary’s University); Shahin Shooshtari (Professor. )University of Manitoba

This longitudinal study aims to identify changes in accessing preventive healthcare as a result of transitioning from a long-term care facility into community residential settings. Data were collected through the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP) and medical chart reviews for 32 PwIDD who transitioned into community living. A lower proportion of the study population was screened for vision, osteoporosis, and blood glucose and immunized for hepatitis A, influenza, pneumococcus and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis post-transition. Periodic comprehensive healthcare assessments for PwIDD dwelling in the community need to be made more easily accessible to address their unique health needs.

Additional authors: Lindsay Guest (Research Associate, Ontario Tech University)

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experienced many obstacles throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was undertaken to better understand food security experienced by individuals with IDD throughout the pandemic – with attention given to availability, accessibility, adequacy, acceptability, and agency.

Additional authors: Carly McMorris (Associate Professor, University of Calgary); Tessa Allison (Student, University of British Columbia); Brennah Kamelchuk (Student, University of Calgary); Victoria Formusa (Manager, Health, Special Olympics Canada); Brock Reissner (Manager, Health and Research Initiatives, Special Olympics Ontario); Stephanie Howe (Student, University of Calgary); Janet McCabe (Associate Professor & Associate Dean – Undergraduate Studies, Ontario Tech University); Alan Martino (Assistant Professor, University of Calgary)

People with intellectual disabilities have equal sexual and reproductive health rights and access to sexual and reproductive health care as people without disabilities (UN, 2006), yet there is a high degree of variability in people with intellectual disabilities’ levels of sexual knowledge. The current study determined the importance of sexual health information for Special Olympics (SO) athletes, topics of interest, and the best approaches to fill these knowledge gaps. We included SO athletes, coaches, and caregivers of athletes in our surveys and interviews. Several recommendations are offered to increase the effectiveness of sexual health education in people with intellectual disabilities.

Additional authors: Kayla Kostal (PhD Student, University of British Columbia); Mahnoosh Matlabi Lotfabadi (Graduate Student, University of Manitoba); Margherita Cameranesi (Assistant Professor, Saint Mary’s University); Lindsay McCombe (Manager, St.Amant Research Centre); Brenden Dufault (Biostatistician, George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation); Depeng Jiang (Professor, University of Manitoba); Shahin Shooshtari (Professor, University of Manitoba

Our research team collected data on health and quality of life for 64 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, before and after they moved to a home within a community in Manitoba. By collecting data four times, we tracked changes over time in health and quality of life for our study participants. Our findings show improved overall quality of life, and improved health in many areas. This information is important to advocate for healthcare and community support services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities so that they enjoy good health and high quality of life.

DDMHT clinic aims to improve access, participation and engagement by 50% by September 2024 for patients in the Central/North Vancouver Island region with mild range of intellectual disabilities involved in the newly designed and adapted CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) group therapy sessions for anxiety management.

This project emphasizes the importance of making palliative care resources accessible to all, including individuals with cognitive disabilities, to ensure equitable healthcare. It highlights the role of accessibility in addressing disparities, particularly in the context of developmental disabilities. Following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and Health Canada’s palliative care framework, the study reviewed resources like booklets, infographics, and videos for their general and cognitive accessibility. Semi-structured interviews with advisors revealed opportunities for improving accessibility using inclusive design. The findings align with equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts, stressing the need for accessible healthcare resources.

Additional authors: Nadine Bartlett (University of Manitoba); Rebecca Heringer (Mount Saint Vincent University); Anne Kresta (Parent and Child/Youth Advocate, Level It Up)

Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) provides individuals with intellectual disabilities with the opportunity to attend their local college or university and participate in the academic and social programming. The current paper examines the limited IPSE options in Manitoba and provides a comparative scan of IPSE throughout the rest of Canada to reveal the diverse IPSE pathways that exist. Recommendations to ensure equitable access to post-secondary education for persons with intellectual disabilities and an expansion of IPSE in Manitoba are proposed.

Additional authors: Nadine Bartlett (University of Manitoba); Rebecca Heringer (Mount Saint Vincent University); Anne Kresta (Parent and Child/Youth Advocate, Level It Up)

In Manitoba, transition timelines for youths with disabilities from school to adult services are determined based on chronological age. The use of such inflexible transition timelines reflects a lack of individualization and may prevent youth from acting in self-determined ways and accessing the supports that they require. This poster presents the multiple barriers that inflexible transition timelines create for young adults with disabilities from the perspectives of educators and service providers in the province of Manitoba. Recommendations for individualized transition timelines based on developmental readiness, individual choice, and personal circumstances are provided.

Bioethics explores what is right and wrong in health/care environments. Bioethics scholars are encouraged to meaningfully and systematically explore ethical complexities and dilemmas. However, in the realm of academic bioethics, both presenters had a shared experience in which ethical considerations related to people with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) and/or on the autism spectrum were inadequately represented. In response, they co-edited a volume that reflects upon difficult, timely, and debated ethics questions relating to people with IDD and autistic people, and includes work by practitioners and researchers that address such issues. This poster introduces the viewer to the resulting volume.

This poster presentation will delineate the three phases of a research project aimed at creating a proactive support model for parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD). The project focuses on important social issues like trauma, institutionalization, and human rights violations. The support model is based on proven best practices, input from parents with ID/DD, and ideas from community partners. It encourages new ways of thinking by centering the experiences of parents and creating early intervention strategies that help parents to the learn the necessary skills to maintain custody of their children. It also promotes collaboration between different agencies.

This poster will highlight what we know about adults with developmental disabilities with palliative care needs. First, it will summarize the results of a review of the research on this topic and the key themes studied. Second, it will present the issues of importance from the perspective of adults with developmental disabilities. Finally, it will present data on home care clients with developmental disabilities and serious illness – focusing on issues that are important to adults with developmental disabilities.

It is difficult for people with developmental disabilities to access mental healthcare. A big part of this is the lack of training that mental health clinicians receive to work with this population. A research study was conducted where mental health clinicians in Canada were interviewed to learn about their experiences with training. This poster will describe key findings and action items that may help us move forward to make mental healthcare more accessible for people with developmental disabilities.