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The COVID‐19 pandemic has put the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) at risk, including those residing in congregate living settings. This study aimed to explore the experiences of congregate living agencies supporting individuals with IDD when implementing infection control guidance during the COVID‐19 pandemic for the purpose of identifying recommendations for future implementation. Interpretive description was the methodological approach used for this qualitative study. Data were collected through a semi‐structured focus group with administrative personnel from developmental services (DS) congregate living agencies supporting adults with IDD in Ontario, Canada. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Our findings identified successes and challenges related to the implementation of infection control guidelines in practice, as well as strategies used during the implementation of guidelines. Five main themes were identified—Communication, Collaboration, Finding and Managing Resources, Agency Capacity, and Future Considerations. Effective communication and collaboration within agencies, as well as between agencies and local public health units or governing ministries, led to the successful implementation of infection control guidance. Prior experience with pandemics, as well as managers with knowledge of infectious disease and infection control, was crucial in interpreting and implementing COVID‐19 infection control guidance. DS agencies experienced successes and challenges when implementing infection control guidelines. The needs of DS agencies and individuals with IDD should be prioritized when developing infection control guidance to ensure that implementation is feasible and appropriate for congregate living settings and the population supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The needs of disabled people are often insufficiently recognized by mainstream society, causing this population to be excluded from society and activities of daily life. This problem is clearly reflected in the obstacles that intellectually disabled people have encountered in their use of public services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this qualitative study, we conducted focus group sessions with 17 social workers and 12 carers supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities in Hong Kong. Using a thematic analysis, we found that (a) the social-emotional needs of intellectually disabled people were intensified by the disruption of social services; (b) they received limited benefit from the use of video conferencing services; and (c) they encountered significant difficulties in complying with preventive measures. To achieve equity in public service, universal design should be emphasized during the planning stage, and the experiences of disabled people should be carefully considered from the outset. Intellectually disabled people in Hong Kong experienced more difficulties using public services during the COVID-19 pandemic than before the pandemic. Apart from the social model of disability and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, critical disability theory can explain how society protects the rights of disabled persons pertaining to social participation. A sole emphasis on equality fails to facilitate effective planning of public services that address the needs of intellectually disabled people; the notion of equity must also be emphasized. The concept of universal design, which is often discussed in the context of the physical environment, can be meaningfully applied to the design of public services to alleviate problems of exclusion faced by disabled population. Policymakers and service providers must improve their awareness and knowledge of the distinct needs of intellectually disabled people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Communicating with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities is essential for person‐centred, rights‐based support. Despite a proliferation of research around COVID‐19, there is a dearth of evidence exploring its impact on communication with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities. This study aimed to explore disability support staff experiences of communicating with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities through the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was undertaken. A purposive sample of six disability support staff who supported people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities through the pandemic in four Irish residential services participated in online, semistructured interviews. Data were analysed thematically. Findings: Six themes were generated including unwavering commitment; running on empty; being a safe haven; empathic understanding; heightened sensitivity and new insights. Participants discussed the impact of COVID‐19 on communicating with people they support, the contextual challenges, how these were managed/overcome and new learning that emerged. Although communication challenges did present because of COVID‐19 restrictions, communication remained a priority. Conclusions: Despite the challenges experienced by disability support workers, their unwavering commitment to ensuring the well‐being of people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities was identified. This was a small‐scale qualitative study but highlights areas warranting further research and makes recommendations for practice and service planning. Accessible Summaries: The restrictions during the COVID‐19 pandemic made it very hard to interact with people.This study looked at disability support workers' experience of interacting with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities who live in residential services.The study participants talked about how important it was to be there for a person with severe/profound intellectual disability because visitors were not allowed, and they might not understand why.It is important that we use what we learned through this challenging time to provide better support in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of COVID-19 on disabled people from the perspective of disability organisations located in the Global South. Drawing on the findings of an online survey, which received responses from 20 representatives of disability organisations located in 13 countries, this study builds on a growing body of recent research highlighting the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on disabled people, many of whom have experienced greater levels of discrimination and deeper levels of isolation and poverty as the result of inadequate state responses to the pandemic. The study also highlights the crucial role played by many disability organisations in supporting disabled people during the crisis, often filling in the gaps in mainstream service provision, and argues that they should be enabled to play a much more prominent role in the long-term recovery process in order to ensure a more disability-inclusive post-pandemic world. This paper argues that: State responses to the pandemic have often failed to take account of the specific needs and priorities of disabled people. During the pandemic, many disabled people have been denied access to essential services, cut off from the support of their caregivers, excluded from education provision and exposed to severe economic hardship. Disability organisations have offered vital to support to their members and beneficiaries, often helping to ensure that their basic needs are met. Policymakers and service providers should collaborate closely with disability organisations in order to ensure that disabled people are not left behind in the long-term recovery process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) experiences with and perceptions towards teleSCI services during the COVID-19 global pandemic in British Columbia, Canada. Using maximum variation sampling, we invited selected individuals from a larger quantitative dataset (n = 71) to partake in an interview. In total, 12 individuals participated in the study. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interview transcripts were then coded and analysed by team members using qualitative descriptive analysis. Individuals with an SCI perceived teleSCI services to be convenient, accessible, affordable, and an effective way to access some healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in-person healthcare was still needed by many participants to effectively manage and treat their SCI-associated secondary conditions. Our findings suggest that, in a post-pandemic world, the SCI community would benefit from blended models of healthcare delivery that leverage telecommunication technologies to increase accessibility to healthcare while still providing in-person care for assessments and treatments. Individuals with an SCI perceived teleSCI services to be convenient, accessible, affordable, and an effective way to access some healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in-person healthcare was still needed and desired by those with an SCI to effectively manage and treat their SCI-associated secondary conditions. In a post-pandemic world, individuals with an SCI would benefit from blended models of healthcare delivery that leverage telecommunication technologies to increase accessibility to healthcare, while still providing in-person care for those requiring ongoing treatment and management of secondary conditions associated with the patient's SCI. TeleSCI services offer the potential to allow healthcare professionals and SCI specialists to collaborate (digitally) with patients at the same time. This patient-centered approach could not only help healthcare professionals strategize effective remedies to better manage secondary conditions associated with SCI but could result in overall better-quality care received by those within the SCI community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]