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The Times-Picayune Thursday, December 04, 2003

Center Addresses Aging in Down Syndrome

by Jane Pic

While visiting in Indiana recently, I met with Alice Foose of the Indiana University Center on Aging and Aged in Bloomington.

The center was formed in the 1970s as an outgrowth of the first White House Conference on Aging held in Washington, D.C., in 1961 and of the university's recognition of its obligation to the state governor's request that several state universities and colleges play a significant role in finding solutions to the problems of aging and aged citizens.

The center's objectives include developing gerontological and geriatric curricula, preparing professionals who will serve the elderly in several fields, promoting and coordinating interdisciplinary research, providing technical and consultant services to individuals and agencies serving the aged, and interpreting for member universities as well as the public knowledge concerning psychological, physiological, sociological, and economic factors that affect the lives of older citizens.

One of the center's research studies looked at the aging of people with Down syndrome. It has been documented that persons with Down syndrome seem to age approximately 10 years earlier than the normal population.

This study, done during a 10-year period from 1988 to 1998, focused on the cognitive, social and physical aspects of people with Down syndrome as they aged. Approximately 60 participants, ranging in age from 31 to 56, completed the study.

Participants were interviewed twice a year. Researchers studied age-related changes in adaptive behavior dealing with their personal lives, such as leisure, work, friends and play, community living skills, and cognitive functions such as short-term memory, long-term memory and comprehension.

The study found that even though adaptive behavior declined after age 45, auditory and comprehension functioning seemed to increase.

Health plays an important role in the aging process as it does in people without mental retardation or other developmental disabilities.

Although more research is needed to better understand whether functional declines in adults with Down syndrome are related to age or a serious health problem, it is felt that providing community, social and work training programs early in life will help preserve functional independence and active lifestyles through the adult years. Another area that could be studied is spiritual needs.

Today more local programs and agencies are realizing the need for providing supports and outlets for individuals with developmental disabilities as they age. The Jefferson Parish Recreation Department's Special Populations program offers the Pinnacles Gold Club for people 50 and older. The Arc of Greater New Orleans also provides a program for its older participants.

It is important to understand that if a person is happy and productive even within the framework of a disability, then that person is living well and aging well. Each is an individual.