Signs in People with Intellectual Disabilities: Interviews with Managers and Staff on the Identification Process of Dementia

The life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) has steadily increased, which has been accompanied by an increased risk of dementia. Staff and managers are key resources for safety diagnosis since they deliver information about people with ID behavior every day. The aim of the present study was to explore the identification process employed by staff and managers to detect signs of suspected dementia in people with an ID within intellectual disability services (ID-services). Twenty managers and 24 staff within an ID-service were interviewed and qualitative latent content analysis was applied. A model consisting of three themes on three levels of resources for the identification process of signs of suspected dementia emerged from the analysis. On the first level was the time and continuity in the care relationship, which is crucial for identifying and responding to changes in cognitive ability that indicate dementia. On the second level, the staff identify deficiencies in their own knowledge, seek support from colleagues and managers within their workplace and, on the third level, outside their workplace. Staff and managers expressed a need for early and continuous guidance and education from specialists in dementia and primary healthcare. This finding indicates an urgent need for intervention research and digital support for staff in dementia care.