Activity, Aging, and Retirement: The Views of a Group of Scottish People With Intellectual Disabilities

Abstract

Abstract The structuring of daytime activities for older people with intellectual disabilities (ID) is often at odds with the views or needs of the people involved with these activities. The aim of this study was to understand the perceptions of people with ID with respect to retirement—that is, the mandatory transition from attending day centers in two Scottish localities. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 16 older adults and the resultant transcripts subjected to interpretive phenomenological analysis. Five themes emerged from the analysis: the importance of activity, the day center as a social hub, confusion concerning retirement, desire for continuity, and the value of independence. The older adults placed great value on participation in daytime activity and on attendance at local authority‐run day centers. They wished to remain active well into old age and wished to contribute to their local communities. Disconcertingly, the participants highlighted the difficulties with their understanding of “retirement” and those who demonstrated a level of understanding felt that they had a disconnected role in the process. The study revealed some important implications for service provision and development. The authors suggest that the provision of daytime activity for older people with ID should be scrutinized closely with respect to what people do as retirees and how they prepare for a change in lifestyle.