INTRODUCTION

For the first time in our nation's history, a significant number of older adults with developmental disabilities (DD) are living in community settings and turning to community-based physicians for care, but information to guide physicians is limited. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

The CDC statement reflects the federal statutory definition of DD as codified in Public Law 106–402, The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000. The federal definition notes that most individuals with DD will require special services, supports, and other forms of assistance throughout their lives. Mental retardation, now generally referred to as intellectual disability (ID), autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and vision impairment are among the most common DD.

In previous generations, only a small proportion of individuals with DD survived into older adulthood and they generally lived in large state institutions where physicians who were removed from mainstream health care systems managed their care.