Abstract

This chapter reviews knowledge about aging in place for people with intellectual disabilities in group homes in Australia. The aging of people with intellectual disabilities first emerged as a pressing social phenomenon in the 1980s and the increasing life expectancy of this population means that people with intellectual disability now live and age in the community at rates similar to the general population. The chapter reflects back on some of the obstacles that hindered aging in place prior to the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in 2013 and then looks forward to explore the potential of the Scheme to more effectively enable aging in place. Also explored are the tensions between the aged care and disability sectors and the implications of such tensions for group home service providers as they seek to adequately support the changing needs of people with intellectual disabilities as they age.