Improving Health Assessments for People with an Intellectual Disability (FutureLearn)

You will expand your knowledge through information and techniques underpinned by the world-leading longitudinal study on ageing and intellectual disability, the IDS-TILDA study.

What topics will you cover?

In this course, you will:

- Explore the inequalities that individuals with an intellectual disability experience that often obstruct their engagement in health assessment;

- Identify the changing landscape of healthcare for older people with an intellectual disability;

- Learn how to communicate better with people with an intellectual disability in health assessments;

- Make reasonable adjustments to appointment scheduling, duration, and in explaining assessments;

- Learn best practices in accessible materials for health assessments.

The course is structured into three weeks:

- Week 1: Health and wellbeing challenges for people with an intellectual disability

- Week 2: Best practices in communicating with people with an intellectual disability in health assessment

- Week 3: Performing a health assessment for people with an intellectual disability

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you'll be able to...

- Describe the similarities and differences in health that applies to people with an intellectual disability in comparison to their non-disabled peers;

- Identify the relevance and importance of health assessment for people with an intellectual disability;

- Explain what making reasonable adjustment means for people with an intellectual disability as they engage in health services;

- Reflect on the importance of making reasonable adjustments and understand how this is applicable to healthcare practice;

- Explore how to adapt explanatory materials for the person with an intellectual disability;

- Develop skills and techniques on adapting health assessments and engaging individuals with an intellectual disability using accessible material; and

- Design your own Easy Read documents for health assessments

Who is the course for?

This course is for healthcare professionals, healthcare workers, and care supporters working with people with an intellectual disability. You do not need any prior experience as the course is designed to be usable by all levels of healthcare professionals.