Why Do We Need National Guidelines for Adults with Intellectual Disability and Dementia?

Special guidelines for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are essential as this population is living longer, with a growing risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Many families, caregivers, and healthcare practitioners lack awareness of how age-related or pathological decline manifests in adults with ID, often misattributing changes to the underlying disability (diagnostic overshadowing), leading to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. Conventional diagnostic procedures are often unsuitable due to the varied functional and intellectual baselines of individuals with ID. Standardized guidelines for screening, diagnosis, and care would address these gaps, enabling timely and accurate identification of dementia and improved support. Such internationally unified guidelines, established by organizations like the WHO or Alzheimer’s Disease International, would bring significant medical and social benefits by improving care practices and outcomes for adults with ID and dementia.
Source: Matthew P. Janicki, Seth M. Keller. Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Disease Monitoring
Read article here: https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.dadm.2015.05.005