Psychiatry of elderly compared to younger adults with intellectual disabilities

It is difficult to draw conclusions from previous literature regarding the rate of psychiatric disorders amongst elderly, compared to younger, adults with intellectual disabilities. This study investigates the prevalence of psychiatric disorders amongst adults with intellectual disabilities aged 65 years and over,living in Leicestershire, UK (n = 134), compared to a random sample of adults with intellectual disabilities aged 20-64 years, living in the same area (n = 73). Both groups had high rates of current psychiatric morbidity, but rates were significantly higher in the elderly group: 61.9% compared to 43.8%. The elderly group had higher rates of dementia, generalised anxiety disorder and past history of depression, when compared to the younger group. The two groups had equal rates of behaviour disorders, schizophrenia and autism. Dementia occurs at a much higher rate amongst people with intellectual disabilities (21.6%) than it does amongst the general population. This finding is in keeping with previous studies, but has received little attention and warrants further investigation.