Background: Direct support professionals’(DSPs’) attitudes toward nutrition are important for supporting a healthy lifestyle of persons with intellectual disabilities. However, there are no instruments to measure it. The aim of this study was to compose a questionnaire and determine its internal validity. …

Introduction: Diagnosing dementia in people with severe/profound intellectual (and multiple) disabilities (SPI(M)D) is complex. Whereas existing dementia screening instruments as a whole are unsuitable for this population, a number of individual items may apply. Therefore, this study aimed to identify …

Background: The “Care for Participation+” (CFP+) intervention was developed in order to change the attitudes of direct support professionals (DSPs) regarding the participation of adults with visual and severe or profound ID (VSPID). Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of CFP+ on the …

BACKGROUND: It is difficult to diagnose constipation for people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities. Definitions for this are ambiguous, and the symptoms and signs are often unnoticed. The aim of this study is to identify clear definitions of constipation for people with different levels …

Recalling that a majority of those who need assistive technology do not have access to it, and that this has a significant impact on the education, livelihood, health and well-being of individuals, and on families, communities and societies, Member States adopted a resolution on Improving access to assistive …

Introduction Observable dementia symptoms are hardly studied in people with severe/profound intellectual (and multiple) disabilities (SPI(M)D). Insight in symptomatology is needed for timely signaling/diagnosis. This study aimed to identify practice-based observations of dementia symptoms in this population. …

Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) need support from direct support professionals (DSPs) to engage in a healthy lifestyle. However, literature shows DSPs feel insufficiently equipped to support a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a theory-based program for DSPs …

BACKGROUND: The care sector for persons with disabilities considers the physical environment relevant for the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities. However, scientific evidence is limited. OBJECTIVE: To obtain evidence regarding comforting and encouraging environments and to develop …

Background: There is a lack of theory-based interventions for direct support professionals (DSPs) to support a healthy lifestyle for people with moderate to profound intellectual disabilities (ID) despite their major role in this. This study aims to evaluate the preparation, implementation, and preliminary …

Background: For a healthy lifestyle, people with moderate, severe, and profound intellectual disabilities living in residential facilities and/or participating in day activity centers are dependent on their direct support professionals. However, it is unclear what knowledge and skills these direct support …