Abstract:

Reports on a study of 28 intellectually disabled people, the aims of which were 1) to obtain information about the life-styles of intellectually disabled people living independently in the community; 2) to identify any difficulties which may be encountered in day-to-day living, as perceived by the intellectually disabled, their social trainer and work personnel; and 3) to identify the main sources of support for intellectually disabled people living in the community. Results showed that the majority of the respondents appeared to be happy with their work and living arrangements; social isolation and feelings of loneliness were the main difficulties faced, pointing to the need for greater emphasis on development of leisure and interpersonal skills.