AGING WITH CEREBRAL PALSY II
In December 1996, the Foundation published a Research Fact Sheet on Aging and Cerebral Palsy. We regret to report that very little has changed since that report. The types of physical, social and psychological impairments continue as described in 1996.

In 2004, the magazine Cerebral Palsy published a comprehensive article that added some additional information. In the population of adult persons with cerebral palsy:

• 25% - 39% have problems with vision.
• 8% - 18% have problems with hearing.
• about 10% have cardiovascular problems. There appears to be excess mortality as compared to the general population.
• major gastro-intestinal complaints are vomiting and constipation.
• adults may take 45 minutes to several hours to feed.
• scoliosis occurs in 25% - 64% of institutionalized adults.
• there is a disproportionate increase in osteopoenia (thinning of bone). An additional loss of bone can occur with age.
• about 1/3 are subject to seizures.
• iron deficiency anemia is common in women.


Comment:

Older persons with disabilities due to cerebral palsy are prone to functional problems because of the biological impairments associated with cerebral palsy, poor nutrition, inactivity and poor health maintenance practices.

Yes, it also does appear to be true that persons with disabilities have the dysfunctions associated with aging earlier than the general population. These appear to be related to the wear and tear of disabilities combined with personal lifestyle and health maintenance. Precise information is still very hard to get.

A key issue is the lack of targeted and comprehensive health care services for adults with disabilities similar to services available for children. How to provide for these adult directed services is a problem that is receiving very little attention. The UCP President’s Council is now addressing this issue.


There are major research programs being conducted on the aging process and the dysfunctions associated with aging. However, very few of these programs specifically address the problems of older persons with disabilities due to cerebral palsy. This is true despite this Foundation’s active but unsuccessful solicitation of research grant applications in this area. We will continue to try to focus attention on the problems and needs of older persons with cerebral palsy.