From premise to practice: Applicability of a consensus statement for supporting adults with IDD who are frail

Background Study of frailty in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is relatively new. To build the body of literature, an international consensus statement on how to support adults with IDD as they become frail was developed based on fictional cases. This study examined the face validity and applicability of the consensus statement to real-world care planning. Method Twenty-three care plans for adults with IDD who were classified along the frailty continuum were reviewed. Documented goals, actions and outcomes were coded according to the consensus statement's principles and recommendations. Results The recommendations 'Improvement and maintenance are viable goals' and 'Intersectoral collaboration is needed' were documented the most often. Attention to the needs of formal and informal caregivers was mentioned the least often in care plans. Conclusions This study provides some support for the face validity of the consensus statement and its applicability to supporting adults with IDD who are frail.