Disability is an abstract concept, and the landscape is changing, both in terms of disabilities and in societal response to emerging disabilities. This has implications across systems, including early childhood, education, workforce, health care and aging. Kathy Sheppard-Jones, Andy Imparato, and Phil Rumrill will provide an overview of several emerging disabilities (e.g. autoimmune disorders, mental health, opioid use disorders) and will also explore the notion of emerging disabilities from a state and national workforce context.

This webinar will discuss emerging research and practice in supporting social networks of adults aging with intellectual disabilities. After a brief introduction on aging in this population, the webinar will discuss the role of social relations in later life and address the state of knowledge regarding the social support networks of older adults with intellectual disabilities. The webinar will provide a discussion of the role of support services in promoting informal networks and conclude with an exploration of the use of social network mapping and life story work in person-centered planning.

The Gatlinburg Conference continues its tradition as one of the premier conferences in the United States for behavioral scientists conducting research in intellectual and related developmental disabilities. The Gatlinburg Conference on Research and Theory in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities was established in the 1960's.

Many organizations are seeing the aging of their clientele and their numbers increase, and concerns are growing about how to deal with age-associated effects evidenced with aging. One such age-associated condition, Alzheimer's disease (and related dementias), affects a significant number of adults with Down syndrome (about 65% of adults age more than 60) and a proportional number of adults with other causes of intellectual disability (about 6% of adults age more than 60). Many at-risk adults live on their own or with friends, and many affected adults live in small community group homes or with their families. How to provide sound and responsive community care is becoming a challenge for agencies faced with an increasing number of such affected adults. This webinar covers key elements of dementia and how it affects adults with intellectual disabilities, provides a brief overview of screening and assessment strategies and methods, and examines ways that organizations can employ to adapt their current services to make them dementia capable. Specifically covered are the elements and types of dementia, as well its onset, duration and effect, and techniques for adapting environments, aiding with staff interactions and communication, as well as challenges to active and supportive programming. Models for supports depending on the stage of dementia are also discussed, as are training foci areas and community care models that provide for "dementia capable" supports and services. Special attention is given to the use of group homes as a viable community care model.

While end-of-life issues are increasingly gaining more attention, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) continue to receive significantly less consideration in research, education, and clinical practice compared with the general population. This is a growing concern especially since the sheer number of persons aging with IDD is expected to double between 2000 and 2030. Furthermore, as policies continue shifting to reflect a preference for home and community-based services as an alternative to institutionalization, adult day services (ADS) have the potential of becoming ideal settings for receipt of end-of-life care, especially for individuals with IDD. However, end-of-life care and advance planning most commonly occur in long-term care settings, for the general population, and have historically been less of a priority in ADS and residential services for people with IDD. This presentation discusses findings from a study around the attitudes of, and collaboration between, ADS and end-of-life providers for aging adults including persons with IDD. We will also explore how ADS may be a great pathway for delivering end-of-life care to the IDD population and provide guiding recommendations.

Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities are aging and living longer than ever. Decline in their daily function with the possibility of developing dementia increases with age, especially in adults with Down syndrome. Join us to review how changes in function can be assessed so that an accurate and early diagnosis of dementia can be determined.

The University of Rochester's Program in Aging and Developmental Disabilities (PADD) is offering a webinar series Autism Across the Lifespan. Sessions in this Webinar Series include: "Why Autism Across the Lifespan," "Issues and Considerations in Assessing Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders," "Future Care Planning for Persons with Autism" and "Assessing for Autism in Children with Down syndrome: Issues and Considerations in Screening and Diagnostic Assessment Practices" For more information and to register for the webinars go PADD's website.