Retirement of workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities

We examine the retirement of workers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in developed countries, with research predominantly from North America and Australia. We propose that retirement involves withdrawal from paid work just as in the general community. Most research is on sheltered employment. A few recent studies consider retirement from mainstream work. We examine factors that affect retirement and decision making. We consider retirement pathways and decision-making processes, including education and planning. Workers with IDD have limited knowledge about retirement but mostly negative attitudes toward it. They receive little retirement education and are often left out of planning and decision making. Limited evidence exists that mainstream workers with IDD may be more involved in retirement planning and decisions. In examining research, we consider separately (a) descriptions of existing retirement programs/activities, and (b) intervention research and program evaluation. Existing provisions were inconsistent and often unplanned, with few services, little or no retirement preparation/education, and continued dominance of IDD day programs as the default retirement option. Individualized retirement planning is often non-existent or inadequate, with quite limited self-determination. Intervention research mainly looked at retirement education and planning and/or socially inclusive leisure participation in retirement. We present multiple conclusions on intervention studies, including that (a) workers with IDD can improve their attitudes to and understanding of retirement options/planning, (b) there are benefits of gradual transition to retirement, and (c) effective interventions exist that enable ongoing participation and social inclusion in mainstream community groups/volunteering. However, almost no interventions were implemented at scale.