IDS-TILDA is a longitudinal study researching ageing in Ireland among people with an intellectual
disability (ID) aged 40 and over. This study is the first of its kind in Europe, and the only study able to
directly compare the ageing of people with intellectual disability with the general ageing population
through its linkage to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).
An intellectual disability supplement was needed because (1) the geodirectory sampling frame for
TILDA excluded people living in out of home placements including residential centers and group homes
for people with ID (2) focusing only on people aged 50 years and older as in TILDA would mean that
premature ageing reported for some individuals with ID would not be studied (3) lack of adaptation of
consent and interview practices would unnecessarily exclude many people with ID and (4) issues
unique to people with ID would not be sufficiently explored. Findings to date have borne out the
importance of these issues in understanding the ageing of people with ID.
The underpinning values of IDS-TILDA include inclusion, choice, empowerment, person centred, the
promotion of people with intellectual disability, the promotion of best practice and to make a
contribution to the lives of people with intellectual disability.
Aims
To identify the principal influences on successful ageing in persons with intellectual disability, and then
determine if they are the same or different from the influences for the general population. A second
aim is to develop a first wave baseline picture of ageing among persons with intellectual disability and
a cohort of subjects that may then be followed longitudinally.
