'If We are Going to Include Them We have to do it Before We Die': Norwegian Seniors' Views of Including Seniors with Intellectual Disability in Senior Centres

Background Concepts of inclusion and participation are at the core of both international and Norwegian policy for people with intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to identify senior centre users' views of the barriers and solutions to the inclusion of seniors with intellectual disability in community senior centres. Method Thirty seniors without intellectual disability participated in one of four focus groups. The groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed for themes using the constant comparative method of qualitative analysis. Results Major themes included benefits, perceptions of people with intellectual disability, barriers and solutions to inclusion, need for support and need for information. Conclusions The findings suggest that participants agreed that seniors with intellectual disability could benefit from being a senior centre user. Consideration must be given to this group's need for assistance, staff education, economic resources and ways to overcome negative community attitudes towards people with intellectual disability.