The potential for active mentoring to support the transition into retirement for older adults with a lifelong disability

Older people with a lifelong disability, such as intellectual disability, face significant barriers to enjoying active ageing as they transition into retirement. Active ageing involves enhancement of quality of life through optimising the health, participation, and security of individuals and populations (World Health Organization [WHO], 2002). We propose that the creation of access and linkage, or ‘‘community building’’ structures (Bigby, 1992) within the community that use active support (Stancliffe, Jones, Mansell, & Lowe, 2008) and co-worker training (Farris & Stancliffe, 2001) models, could overcome some of these barriers. Active support and co-worker training represent two empirically tested models of support that can enhance both engagement and participation. Potentially, an adaptation of these models will help create the foundation training for a cost-effective access and linkage program between disability services and generic community groups that will promote active ageing and a successful transition into retirement.