The Trinity Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability (TCAID) hosted a conference last week on ‘Longitudinal Dynamics in the Ageing of People with an Intellectual Disability: How Evidence from IDS-TILDA Can Inform and Support Strategic Planning and Service Delivery’ in collaboration with Donegal HSE Disability Services and the Nursing & Midwifery Planning and Development Unit North West (NMPDU). 

Ireland is the first country in the world to systematically study the ageing process in people with intellectual disabilities. Though life expectancy in people with intellectual disabilities has increased in recent decades, alarming disparities persist—people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland continue to die 20 years younger than the general population, suffer from more chronic health conditions and have fewer social networks. 

The conference was attended by over 150 delegates interested in exploring the health and social outcomes of people with intellectual disabilities as they age. 

Professor Mary McCarron delivers a keynote addressPictured: Professor Mary McCarron delivers a keynote address at the conference.

Professor Mary McCarron, a leading figure in ageing and intellectual disability research, as well as the Director of TCAID, delivered a keynote address at the conference. She was joined by esteemed colleagues Professor Eilish Burke, Dr Martin McMahon, Dr Ashleigh Gorman, and Dr Damien Brennan. 

Presentations were delivered on multimorbidity, physical health trajectories, and brain health, drawing on longitudinal evidence from Wave 5 of the Intellectual Disability Supplement to the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA).  

Discussions were held on how this evidence can inform strategic planning and service delivery within disability services, with a focus on enhancing social inclusion and community participation. 

Speaking ahead of the conference, Professor Mary McCarron said:  

“We are delighted to collaborate with Donegal HSE Disability Services and NMPDU on this pivotal conference. This event is a significant milestone in our commitment to translate research findings from IDS-TILDA) into actions that will strategically improve service delivery. The evidence from five waves of our longitudinal study will be shared in ways that equip managers and frontline staff with critical data on health, social outcomes, and community participation.”