Improving transition to adulthood for adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Proactive developmental and systems perspective

Shara Ally; Kerry Boyd; Dara Abells; Khush Amaria; Yani Hamdani; Alvin Loh; Ullanda Niel; Samantha Sacks; Sarah Shea; William F Sullivan; Brian Hennen

Improving transition to adulthood for adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Proactive developmental and systems perspective

Can Fam Physician. 2018 Apr;64(Suppl 2):S37-S43.

Authors

Shara Ally¹, Kerry Boyd², Dara Abells³, Khush Amaria⁴, Yani Hamdani⁵, Alvin Loh⁶, Ullanda Niel⁷, Samantha Sacks⁸, Sarah Shea⁹, William F Sullivan¹⁰, Brian Hennen¹¹

Affiliations

¹ Advanced practice nurse at Surrey Place Centre in Toronto, Ont, Adjunct Lecturer in the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto, and an MBA candidate. sr.ally90@gmail.com.
² Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont, and Chief Clinical Officer for Bethesda Community Services in Thorold, Ont.
³ Family physician at Forest Hill Family Health Centre in Toronto and the Integrated Services for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and Lecturer in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.
⁴ Clinical and health psychologist and team lead for the Good 2 Go Transition Program at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
⁵ Postdoctoral research fellow in Adult Neurodevelopmental Services at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
⁶ Developmental pediatrician and Medical Chief of Staff at Surrey Place Centre and Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto.
⁷ Family physician at the Scarborough Centre for Healthy Communities in Ontario.
⁸ Clinical Faculty Lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine at McGill University in Montreal, Que, and a family physician at See Things My Way Centre for Innovation in Autism and Intellectual Disabilities.
⁹ Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Dalhousie University in Halifax, NS.
¹⁰ Associate Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, a staff physician in Medical Services at Surrey Place Centre and in the Family Practice Unit at St Michael's Hospital in Toronto, and Director of the Developmental Disabilities Primary Care Program at Surrey Place Centre.
¹¹ Professor Emeritus at Western University in London, Ont, and at Dalhousie University.

PMID: 29650743
PMCID: PMC5906781

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: To demonstrate how family physicians can contribute to a piece of the journey of improving quality-of-life outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) when they undergo the transition from adolescence to adulthood.

Sources of information: The "Primary care of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 2018 Canadian consensus guidelines" literature review and interdisciplinary input.

Main message: Family physicians should be proactive in anticipating and supporting the transition of people with IDD from adolescence to adulthood. Interventions should be guided by a developmental perspective regarding the person with IDD and a life-cycle approach to supporting families. Family physicians also have a role in helping people with IDD and their families to navigate successfully through changing community-based support systems in their province, especially health care and social services systems. Therefore, family physicians should be aware of current services available in their regions.

Conclusion: Community and team-based family physicians can optimize the quality of life of people with IDD and their families by adopting a proactive developmental and systems approach to preparing youth with IDD for adulthood. In doing so, they exemplify the 4 principles of family medicine.

Objectif: Démontrer comment les médecins de famille s’insèrent dans le parcours d’amélioration de la qualité de vie des personnes ayant des déficiences intellectuelles et développementales (DID) lorsqu’elles passent de l’adolescence à l’âge adulte.

Sources d’information: Revue de la littérature et contributions des membres de plusieurs disciplines sur les « Lignes directrices consensuelles canadiennes 2018 en matière de soins primaires aux adultes ayant une déficience développementale ».

Message principal: Les médecins de famille devraient prévoir et appuyer proactivement la transition de l’adolescence à l’âge adulte chez les personnes ayant des DID. Les interventions doivent reposer sur un point de vue développemental sur la personne ayant des DID, ainsi que sur une approche axée sur le cycle de vie qui appuie les familles. Les médecins de famille devraient aussi guider les personnes ayant des DID et leur famille à travers les systèmes de soutien communautaire en constante évolution, en particulier les systèmes de soins de santé et de services sociaux. Ainsi, les médecins de famille devraient connaître les services offerts dans leur région.

Conclusion: Les médecins de famille qui pratiquent dans la communauté ou au sein d’une équipe peuvent optimiser la qualité de vie des personnes ayant des DID et de leur famille en adoptant une approche proactive en matière de développement et de systèmes afin de préparer les jeunes ayant des DID à passer à l’âge adulte. Ce faisant, ils personnifient les 4 principes de la médecine familiale.

Publication types

Case Reports
Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Canada
Child
Developmental Disabilities / therapy*
Disabled Persons
Female
Humans
Intellectual Disability / therapy*
Physician-Patient Relations
Practice Guidelines as Topic
Primary Health Care / methods*
Transition to Adult Care / standards*
Young Adult

Abstract in English, French

Publication types

MeSH terms

Abstract
in English, French