Taking each day as it comes: staff experiences of supporting people with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease in group homes

Disability staff are being increasingly required to support adults with Down syndrome who develop Alzheimer s disease. They have little understanding of the nature of care required, and may lack input from aged care and dementia services, which lack knowledge of intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to report on the experiences of disability staff in group homes supporting residents with Down syndrome and Alzheimer s disease in relation to their under understanding of what was happening to these residents, their responses to them, and how they felt about their support role.