This article discusses aging in individuals with developmental disabilities and functional impairment. A developmental disability is defined as a life-long disability attributable to mental and/or physical impairments manifested at birth or in early childhood. Persons with cerebral palsy provide a good working model, and are the second largest group of persons with developmental disabilities. However, the definition of developmental disability applies to a spectrum of causes including brain injury, severe malnutrition during development, genetic abnormalities, prematurity, autism, fetal exposure to drugs and alcohol, child abuse and childhood trauma, and pre- or postnatal infection. In this article most of the text applies to all individuals who are aging with a developmental disability. Most persons with a developmental disability who reach the geriatric age group age like everybody else. However, because they have preexisting neurologic, functional, and physical damage, these persons show signs of aging in their late 40s and 50s that are not present in the normal population until their 70s or 80s. An individual with damage present at or shortly after birth has a faster aging process than the general population. Thus, many physicians do not recognize a problem in a 50-year-old patient with cerebral palsy that they would recognize if the patient were 80 years old.

One in every 10 families knows the tragedy of having a child born who is less than perfect. A birth defect does not happen to one person, it happens to an entire family. People aging with a development disability today were born in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. During these years, society did not accept them. Some individuals living in institutions suffered physical injuries, sexual violence, isolation, and emotional abuse. Many who were institutionalized were not given a proper education, and most of these individuals were not employable and, therefore, continued to live in poverty. Individuals living below the poverty line have decreased access to health care, proper nutrition, and fitness, and many need some assistance with activities of daily living and mobility. Many children with a developmental disability were institutionalized on the recommendations of their physicians. Less than 20% of those who were kept with their families and educated achieved some form of employment. However, many continued to live with their parents. As they aged, their parents and caretakers aged and died, forcing them to spend their aging years in an institution or other isolated setting.

If we use cerebral palsy as a model, only 20% of these individuals who live in society are able to walk independently. Forty percent are independent in ambulation with some assistance, and 40% require a wheelchair for mobility. These individuals, over time, have decreased strength and become prone to disease. As they enter their 40s, 50s, and 60s, they have an increased incidence of developing secondary conditions because they began life less than perfect. Overeynder and Turk described that pain is one of the most common secondary conditions found in 84% of disabled women surveyed. This statistic was significantly higher than the 25% reported in the general American adult population. Most pain syndromes are musculoskeletal in origin as a result of overuse syndromes, dislocations, fractures, osteoporosis, and entrapment neuropathies.

Poor nutrition and lack of exercise lead to reduced muscle mass, muscle weakness, reduced ambulation, hip dislocations and arthritis, early hip and knee replacements, patellar fractures, increasing scoliosis, and other skeletal disabilities found frequently in middle age. Osteoporosis is a common problem in middle-aged individuals with developmental disabilities because many become sedentary, are less ambulatory, and are not involved in exercise programs. Vitamin D levels should be evaluated in these individuals along with bone density studies to delineate those who would benefit from medication and exercise. Physicians should also carefully evaluate exercise programs, and be aware that some individuals can fully participate in programs seated at wheelchair level. Wheelchair Tai Chi increases flexibility, strength, endurance, and self-confidence safely at wheelchair level.

Persons with neuromuscular disorders often find it difficult to balance their activity level and exercise tolerance without overdoing it. The possibility of overuse syndrome must be taken into account with regard to a person’s activity level, musculoskeletal deformity, spasticity, and overall heath. However, the apprehension that can sometimes be present not to overfatigue a muscle group can also severely limit the potential activity level of a person. It is the same principle that we sometimes see in the cardiac population, referred to as the “cardiac crippled.” The progress that can be expected needs to be explained to the patient such that the rate of progress depends on the underlying condition. Usually the rate of improvement is much slower than in the able-bodied population and in some cases is tailored simply to try and slow disease progression. However, the benefit of the activity and exercise greatly outweighs the negative effect of inactivity and overall deconditioning that can occur as a result. What is necessary is an interdisciplinary team approach. The physician needs to give the clearance and the encouragement for a particular activity or exercise, and the therapist needs to work with the patient to achieve that activity or exercise level without overfatigue. Sometimes it may also be necessary for the patient to work with a rehabilitation psychologist to overcome fears if the overall program is overwhelming. The ultimate goal is to improve function and quality of life.

Murphy and colleagues suggested that early degenerative arthritis in 40-year-old individuals explained the large amount of pain that many had on weight-bearing joints. Musculoskeletal abnormalities, such as abnormal movement across joint surfaces and joint compression, can lead to early degenerative joint disease. Many 40- and 50-year-olds have neuropathies, radiculopathies, and myelopathies. Myelopathies, especially in the cervical spine, are frequently found in individuals with movement disorders, especially athetoid cerebral palsy. Many of these patients are in their 50s and have a slowly progressive increase in balance problems and weakness in the lower extremities. This is followed by progressive atrophy and weakness in the upper extremities. If not diagnosed and treated, spinal stenosis and spinal cord compression can progress to pulmonary failure and ultimately, death. Physicians seeing these patients who do not understand the aging process and effect of movement disorders on the spine do not have a high index of suspicion for myelopathies or cervical spinal stenosis in the event of functional decline.

The following case study is just one example of misdiagnosis as a result of underlying developmental disability and points toward specific challenges for these individuals in the health care setting. Alvin was a 54-year-old state employee with mixed athetoid spastic cerebral palsy. He had an IQ of 150, and functioned independently in the community despite significant dysarthria. Six months before admission, he began complaining of increasing difficulty ambulating and fatigue, which was discounted as an outpatient, being attributed to his disability and aging alone. In a 6-month period he was seen by physicians 3 times, each time complaining of progressive decline in his ability to ambulate. He also had limited insurance and limited social support. Ultimately, he presented to the emergency room when he had functionally declined to the point of being nonambulatory. After several days, and severe limitations in communication, he was found to have significant cervical myelopathy with cord compression most severely at C4. By the time he underwent decompression surgery he suffered tetraplegia, respiratory depression, and dysphagia requiring placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube, and was ultimately discharged to a skilled nursing facility. Many physicians feel uncomfortable treating a patient with a developmental disability and do not take the time to understand or to realize that the symptoms described are real. Therefore, they miss diagnosing fractures, spinal stenosis, and other serious illnesses that must be taken care of as soon as possible. Instead they see the patient as a complainer or cognitively impaired or consider that the patient’s complaints have nothing to do with the real problem at hand.

Fractures are a well-documented problem in people with developmental disabilities who are aging, especially those with spastic conditions such as spastic cerebral palsy. Fractures are 5 times more likely in patients aging with cerebral palsy. In these patients, severe uncontrollable motion of unbalanced muscle action with superimposed osteoporosis, contractures, and spasticity can cause atraumatic fractures. The most common site is the supracondylar region of the distal femur. Ambulatory persons are at risk for fractures as a result of falls. Individuals with cerebral palsy, ataxia, spasticity, contractures, histories of dislocations, and severe muscle imbalance are unable to protect their joint and soft tissues during activity because they lack precise neurologic control. Basic activities of daily living and ambulation create more wear and tear on their musculoskeletal systems than in the general population without a developmental disability.

Persons with developmental disabilities, as they approach middle age, realize they are physiologically 20 years older than their chronologic age. Many who do ambulate notice that small changes in their physiology cause great changes in overall functional ability. Inactivity in a person who used to be active can lead to accelerated cardiac disease, deep vein thrombosis, cellulitis, pressure ulcers, and skin atrophy. A skilled physical exercise program along with proper nutrition can restore people with weakness, osteoporosis, balance, and coordination difficulties to their previous quality of life. Aging patients must be placed on an exercise program that is tailored to their abilities. Immobility decreases strength by 1% to 1.5% per day. Strength decreases 20% to 30% a week for up to 5 weeks. Inactivity can cause as much as 50% loss in overall strength. One muscle contraction a day at 50% of maximum strength is enough to prevent this decline. Muscle loss due to immobility is greatest in the quadriceps and other extensor groups. As previously described, decreased muscle strength and tension on bones leads to loss of bone and osteopenia. Osteoporosis affects 70% of persons with disability and decreased mobility. Persons who are immobile spend a great deal of time indoors and ultimately do not receive enough sunlight. Measuring vitamin D levels and providing supplementation may help prevent ongoing osteopenia. Calcium is excreted in urine specimens on the second or third day of immobilization and peaks at 3 to 7 weeks. Certain medications often prescribed to patients aging with developmental disabilities predisposes them to additional bone loss. Such medications include phenytoin, phenobarbital, heparin, steroids, proton pump inhibitors such as Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Lexapro, Prozac, and Zoloft. During periods of immobility joints also show decreased periarticular connective tissue and stability. The ligaments undergo biochemical changes that can be noted as early as 2 weeks after immobilization.

The rate of physiologic aging depends on the continued activity of the individual. Along with the musculoskeletal effects of immobility there are cardiopulmonary effects. Volume reduction of body fluids leads to venous retention and venous pooling in the lower extremity. This causes an increased risk of thromboembolism secondary to decreases in blood volume and increases in coagulability. Cardiovascular efficiency decreases, increasing resting heart rate and decreasing stroke volume. The decrease of stroke volume may reach 15% after 2 weeks of complete bed rest. If one does not exercise, there is a progressive decline of maximum heart rate and a decreased strength of contraction and decreased peripheral muscle efficiency. There is an increased incidence of orthostatic hypotension and a gradual decline in maximum oxygen consumption. This decline can be dramatically reduced by ongoing exercise.

With aging, changes in the lung show decreased vital capacity, decreased P o ₂ , and decreased efficiency of gas exchange. Aspiration is a major problem with many adults with cerebral palsy and developmental disability. It is important to identify people who cough while eating meals and have a high index of suspicion for dysphagia. Dysphasia should be identified and evaluated by modified barium swallow and an appropriate diet given to the patient to reduce the likelihood of aspiration. Referral to speech pathology is appropriate for ongoing oral motor exercise and dysphagia follow-up.

Diet is important for those who are nonmobile and spend a great deal of time sedentary. Poor nutrition, especially a diet high in carbohydrates and low in grains and vegetables, can lead to problems with the gastrointestinal system along with obesity. In addition to poor diet, increased reflux and slowing of gastric motility can lead to constipation. To decrease problems with constipation, patients need to increase liquid intake and follow a high-fiber diet. Persons with central neurologic involvement often have difficulty with gastrointestinal motility, which only worsens with age.

Poor dental care because of disability as well as socioeconomic status is commonly seen in patients with developmental disability. Many patients have thickened saliva, abnormal jaw closure, and breathe through the mouth, which causes an increase in poor dental health, gum disease, and early loss of teeth. Few dental offices will accept these patients even if they are accessible. Dentists believe that they have to use general anesthesia even when it is not needed. Some special clinics are able to treat 80% of these patients without general anesthesia.

Patients who are aging with a developmental disability can get any number of neurologic problems found in able-bodied people who are much older. Dementia, myelopathies, Parkinson disease, tumors, and neuropathies can be found as their damaged nervous system ages. Any decline in neurologic function should be evaluated as one would evaluate someone who was able-bodied and 20 years older. An older individual with developmental disability who shows some changes in cognitive or effectual behavior should be reviewed carefully. It should not be assumed that a patient has early dementia or is mentally weaning unless the process has gone on more than 2 years without a complete evaluation. One needs to evaluate if the patient is depressed or has some system failures, such as a heart that has suffered a silent myocardial infarct or pulmonary disease with pneumonia, or whether the patient fell and has a silent subdural hematoma that is now expanding. One must also rule out endocrine problems such as hypothyroidism, or depression because of decline in quality of life, or caused by an undiagnosed neurologic condition. A complete medical work-up is warranted with any decline in cognition or changes in neurologic or behavioral status.

Depression is a major problem in this population and needs to be identified and treated promptly. Some individuals aging with disability develop profound depression and require treatment with medication. The efficacy of antidepressants in the aging population was discussed at a National Institute of Mental Health consensus conference. It was concluded that the most studied drug, a tricyclic antidepressant nortriptyline, showed a 78% depression remission rate. SSRIs such as Lexapro showed response rates similar to tricyclic antidepressants. However, morning orthostatic blood pressure and cardiac toxicity have been reported in the elderly on tricyclic antidepressants, which poses limitations on their use in the aging population. Thus serotonin reuptake inhibitors are the most common class prescribed because of their efficacy and favorable side effect profile.

Because this population is often economically depressed, durable medical equipment needed by these individuals may not be available to them as they age. As persons with neuromuscular disorders age, they may experience changes in their functional impairments that make it necessary to make further modifications to their home, work, or leisure environments. Often, people become so accustomed to their way of functioning that they may be less receptive to making changes that would enhance function and safety and minimize possible adverse physical consequences. The health care professional needs to be fully aware of the persons’ everyday performance and any changes in their status that would warrant further modifications. Such modifications could include the elimination of steps with a first-floor setup, and/or the use of ramps. To ramp a set of stairs, one requires a foot of ramp space for every inch of stair rise. The use of grab bars in the bathroom, instead of an unsafe towel bar, helps with clothing management and personal hygiene. The need for other equipment such as a tub bench, shower chair, long handled scrub brush, or shoe horn should also be addressed with logic and compassion because such changes are often emotionally perceived as failure or losing ground, as opposed to maintaining a level of independence.

Aging with a developmental disability is just like aging without a developmental disability when we speak of the genitourinary system. Kidney stones, incontinence, decreased bladder and sphincter tone, decreased bladder capacity, and decreased urinary retention require diagnosis through urodynamic evaluation and urinalysis. Strict bladder management decreases the frequency and time of onset of reduction in the glomerular filtration rate. As the kidney ages there is glomerular loss and a decrease in renal tubular cell mass. Incontinence in a previously continent individual is not part of aging and should always prompt the evaluation and ongoing management of the underlying cause.

There are many issues concerning sexuality and the gynecologic care of women aging with developmental disabilities. Because of social prejudice and limited education during the 1940s until the late 1960s, between 50,000 and 100,000 women with disabilities worldwide were sterilized. Major changes that these women with developmental disabilities experience during aging are related to decreased hormonal production, just as found in the general population. Common symptoms include decreased libido, sleep disturbances, emotional lability, and slowing of sexual arousal. Only 88% of women have adequate lubrication, leading to painful sexual intercourse in the remaining. Women with disabilities report that problems with sexual activity are often related to weakness (40%), vaginal dryness (39%), lack of balance (38%), joint pain (32%), and spasticity of the legs (28%). A recent survey showed that 49% of women with a disability over the age of 65 years who have a spouse, report being satisfied with their level of sexual activity. Gynecologic care poses an increased challenge with aging because of difficult pelvic examinations caused by spasticity, limited lower extremity function, contractures, and pain. Many women require sedation for a complete pelvic examination. This factor, combined with inadequate access to health care, places this group of women at a higher risk for undiagnosed cervical, uterine, and ovarian cancers and leads to delayed treatment and early morbidity and mortality.

Many men over the age of 65 with a central nervous system–related disability have erectile dysfunction. It is important to recognize that 72% of these men can achieve an erection, whereas only 67% can achieve ejaculation. Men find that it takes longer to have an erection. An aging man, with or without a disability, may require increased physical stimulation to achieve and maintain an erection. He also requires a longer period of rest time before being able to have another erection. Many men may not be able to understand these physiologic changes, which can lead to anxiety and psychogenic erectile dysfunction. Adequate education, pharmacologic management, and counseling with subsequent follow up can alleviate many of these concerns.

During the lifetime of someone living with a developmental disability, the risk of being physically or sexually assaulted is 4 to 10 times higher than it is for the general population. Research, including Centers for Disease Control data, found that 68% to 83% of women with developmental disabilities are sexually assaulted in their lifetime ; this rate is 50% higher than women in the rest of the population. Women with developmental disabilities are more likely to be re-victimized by the same person, and 50% never receive assistance. Of the perpetrators of sexual abuse against a person with disabilities, 48.1% gained access to their victims through disability services. Most health care providers are unaware of the prevalence of sexual violence in this population, leading to under-reporting and lack of recognition.

With advances in medicine and rehabilitation, long-term survival should be expected for most individuals aging with developmental disability. However, 60% will ultimately die from respiratory complications. Quality of life and personal assistance issues affected by physical and functional changes affect the longevity of a person aging with a disability. Lack of access to routine health care and poverty contributes to early mortality in this population from diseases such as cancer and pulmonary and cardiac diseases, which would otherwise be detected and treated sooner and more routinely. Many patients are closely followed in their pediatric years, but are then never referred to a physiatrist for ongoing management as they age. Physician and health care professional bias toward this population is real and must be overcome by education and self-reflection. Health care for this group of patients must not be left entirely to the least experienced practitioner. The proper education and intervention of physicians and health care providers can make the difference between this group of patients living life to their greatest opportunity or suffering early mortality and morbidity.