Younger adults with severe physical disabilities in the Capital Region

In Spring, 1994 the Gerontology Research Centre at Simon Fraser University was commissioned to undertake a project that would provide the Health Planning Division of the Capital Regional District of British Columbia (CRD) with information that would facilitate strategic planning for younger adults with severe physical disabilities. The specific goals of the project were to: 1) define the pertinent characteristics of persons aged 19-55 with severe physical disabilities living in the CRD, including: their socio-demographic characteristics (age and gender distribution, education, marital status, housing and living arrangement, sources of income); health and functional status (diagnosis, level of performance of Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living); and available social supports; 2) ascertain consumer preferences (clients and their families) as to the type and location of housing and support services they require; 3) critically review existing health and social service programs in the CRD and province, and policies targeted to/encompassing younger adults with severe physical disabilities, with respect to their ability to respond to the identified consumer preferences; 4) recommend the type and level of resources required to meet consumer preferences. To fulfill the commission, the following activities were undertaken: Phase 1. Literature Review - An extensive electronic literature search and review was conducted. Unpublished material obtained from the Ministry of Health and other contacts was also reviewed (see: Gutman, G.M. (1995). Characteristics, service needs and service preferences of younger adults with severe physical disabilities: Literature review. Vancouver, BC: Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University. OAI: http://ir.lib.sfu.ca/handle/1892/11440). Phase 2. Profile of Continuing Care Clients - Assuming that most younger adults with severe physical disabilities living in the CRD were known to the Continuing Care Division of the Ministry of Health, a client profile was constructed using information from 153 clients' LTC-1 forms, the Division's standard assessment form (see Chapter 2 of this report for findings).