Activities With Developmentally Disabled Elderly and Older Adults

Learn how to effectively plan and deliver activities for the growing number of older people with developmental disabilities. Activities With Developmentally Disabled Elderly and Older Adults is an innovative new book that aims to stimulate interest and continued support for recreation program development and implementation among developmental disability and aging service systems. Particularly useful for human service professionals working in the areas of developmental disabilities and aging, this practical volume will also be of interest to researchers, educators, and students interested in recreation services with older adults who are developmentally disabled.

The older adult population with developmental disabilities (DD) continues to grow rapidly, yet little is known about their needs and interests. In this book a wide variety of authors share innovative and creative strategies for programming activities with older adults with DD. They focus on diverse issues, services, and programs from researchers, educators, and practitioners, represented varied disciplines. Each chapter demonstrates the diversity that makes serving a growing number of older individuals with DD both challenging and rewarding.

Among the wealth of information you will find in Activities With Developmentally Disabled Elderly and Older Adults are discussions on

• the characteristics of this population and challenge activity professionals to seek innovative program strategies to appropriately serve individuals with DD
• companionship/friendship, physical functioning, and retirement adjustment issues that confront older adults who have lived with lifelong disabling conditions
• how a continuum of recreational activities is needed to provide meaningful experiences to elders with developmental disabilities
• how to design therapeutic recreation programs
• survey instruments that can be used to gain information about the needs of elderly persons with DD
• how to find specific programs and services that are age appropriate and foster creative expression and positive self-esteem
• a rationale for the development of integrated recreation programs