Infusing Content on Older People with Developmental Disabilities into the Curriculum

Although older people with developmental disabilities (OPDD) are living longer than before and appearing more often as clients of social workers, this population has not been included in the growing effort to prepare social work students for practice with older clients. This article explores the issues unique to OPDD and their families. Using a model based on an ecological perspective, it indicates appropriate content on OPDD for infusion into social work curricula at the micro-, meso-, exo-, and macrosystem levels. It also suggests relevant content for four foundation sequences.