Participation of adults with visual and severe or profound intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Improving the participation of adults with visual and severe or profound intellectual disabilities Participation is important for everyone, including adults with visual and severe or profound intellectual disabilities (VSPID). Participation leads to social contacts, meaningful activities and involvement in community life. What exactly does participation for adults with VSPID mean? What is the real status of their participation? How can we ensure that their participation is optimal? The impression exists that the participation of adults with VSPID is not optimal due to the limitations present. In her thesis, Hanzen investigates the concept of participation in adults with VSPID. The concept of participation in this target group has been researched and defined using input from parents, family members, direct support professionals (DSPs), paramedics, behavioral experts and researchers. Participation in this target group covers a broad area, elaborated in (7) different domains. As it turns out, support for these adults in residential facilities is already focused on a number of domains of participation, such as experience/discover and However, in other domains, such as inclusion and recreation, participation is still limited and can be improved. To this end, the intervention 'Care for Participation+' (CFP+) was developed. This intervention caused positive trends in the ideas and behavior of the DSPs regarding participation. This change has positive effects on both the active involvement of the adults with VSPID in activities and on the number of initiatives by DSPs to stimulate this involvement. Hanzen advocates a more prominent role of the participation of this target group in the education of DSPs and, additionally, an improvement of the implementation of CFP+ in order to increase the effects of this intervention. Finally, awareness: participation of adults with VSPID is a responsibility for all people involved, both inside and outside the residential facility. Gineke Hanzen did her PhD at the unit Learning and developing” of the Faculty of Behavioral and Social Sciences. She works as a physiotherapist at Koninklijke Visio and as a postdoctoral researcher at the Academic Collaborative Center related to people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: a collaboration between the University of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, ‘s Heeren Loo and Koninklijke Visio. This center aims to contribute to an improvement in the quality of life of children and adults with a (very) severe intellectual and multiple disability and their families.