The Kanchi Blog

Posted on

23rd January 2012

in

Disability,Education

On Wednesday January 18th The Irish Times ran a story ‘Ageing with dignity and disability.’ This was based on a recent report called ‘Growing older with an Intellectual Disability in Ireland’.

The Irish Times

Professor Mary McCarron, dean of the faculty of health sciences in Trinity College Dublin and lead researcher in the report said that most of the 750 people with intellectual disabilities interviewed said they were happy with their lives, while more than 50% said they were sometimes lonely. The report says that ‘training people with intellectual disabilities in the safe use of Social Media could be one way of improving contact between family and friends’. The study found that more than three quartes of adults, over the age of 40 with intellectual disabilities had never used social media, like for instance Facebook, texting or email to contact family and friends and less than 60% used the telephone.
Carers for those with intellectual disabilities however, are cautious regarding the use of Social Media as they are aware of how easily vulnerability can be exposed.
What do you think – Could Social Media be useful for people with intellectual disabilities in improving contact and links with family and friends? Or would it leave them exposed and vulnerable to those who prey on those most vulnerable?