Top Ten Tips Palliative Care Clinicians Should Know About Navigating the Needs of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

J Palliat Med. 2022 Dec;25(12):1857-1864. doi: 10.1089/jpm.2022.0384. Epub 2022 Sep 9.

Abstract

As many people with intellectual disabilities (ID) live longer, the need for access to quality palliative care (PC) rises. People with ID realize significant barriers and inequities in accessing health care and PC. The need for integrated disability and PC services with extensive collaboration is great. The following tips are for PC clinicians caring for people with ID, their families, caregivers, and the community. While patient-centered care is difficult to distill into "tips," this article, written by an interdisciplinary team of PC and ID specialists, offers resources and references to improve the care provided to people with ID and serious illnesses.

Keywords: disability; end of life; intellectual disabilities; interdisciplinary team; palliative care.

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Palliative Care*