Abstract
Background: As part of a larger study exploring the transition to retirement for people with intellectual disability from a working life in mainstream employment, this paper reports on retirement from the perspective of those who have already retired. Method: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with five Australian retirees with intellectual disability. Data were analysed using grounded theory methodology. Employment service records provided background information on participants' employment and supports. Results: Retirement occurred as the solution to ongoing problems primarily related to health. Retirement decisions were made in conjunction with family and support staff, with participants reporting varying levels of self-determination in the process, and mixed feelings about their retirement. None of the participants were participating in mainstream community groups in retirement. Conclusions: There is a need for retirement preparation for this emerging population to support self-determination in retirement-related decisions including individualized training to facilitate independent participation in mainstream social activities in retirement.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 905-916 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities |
Volume | 33 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2020 |
Keywords
- employment
- intellectual disability
- people with mental disabilities
- retirement
- social integration