What Makes Community Inclusion Work for Older Adults With an Intellectual Disability? An Application of the Normalisation Process Theory.
Older adults with intellectual disability experience high levels of loneliness and social exclusion. MATILDA is a community-based intervention supporting participation in mainstream community groups through volunteer mentors.
To use Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) to explore the processes, mechanisms, and barriers influencing implementation and sustainability.
A qualitative study (focus groups and interviews with 29 adults with intellectual disability, volunteer mentors, intellectual disability staff, and community-group managers) across two UK sites. Data analysed using an NPT-informed framework.
Implementation was supported through sense-making, engagement, collective action, and appraisal. Key mechanisms included Volunteer Co-ordinators, mentor support, participant-group matching, adaptable community groups, and strong relationships. Community inclusion emerged as relational work. Staffing pressures, transport difficulties, and resource constraints limited participation for some individuals.
MATILDA shows potential as a sustainable community inclusion intervention. Successful implementation depends on programme components and the relational and organisational work needed to support participation and belonging.
ISRCTN, ISRCTN15294181. Registered 20th December 2022, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15294181.
To use Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) to explore the processes, mechanisms, and barriers influencing implementation and sustainability.
A qualitative study (focus groups and interviews with 29 adults with intellectual disability, volunteer mentors, intellectual disability staff, and community-group managers) across two UK sites. Data analysed using an NPT-informed framework.
Implementation was supported through sense-making, engagement, collective action, and appraisal. Key mechanisms included Volunteer Co-ordinators, mentor support, participant-group matching, adaptable community groups, and strong relationships. Community inclusion emerged as relational work. Staffing pressures, transport difficulties, and resource constraints limited participation for some individuals.
MATILDA shows potential as a sustainable community inclusion intervention. Successful implementation depends on programme components and the relational and organisational work needed to support participation and belonging.
ISRCTN, ISRCTN15294181. Registered 20th December 2022, https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15294181.
Authors
Taggart Taggart, Campbell Campbell, Doherty Doherty, Ensue Ensue, Ahmed Ahmed, Hanna Hanna, Armstrong Armstrong, Bunting Bunting, Ryan Ryan, O'Neill O'Neill, Clarke Clarke, Leahy Leahy, Willis Willis, Schofield Schofield, Stancliffe Stancliffe, Hassiotis Hassiotis
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