CW: Death
People with severe and profound intellectual disabilities are dying early at unprecedented rates. Researchers from King’s College London analyzed nearly 1,000 adult deaths from all over the UK, during 2021-2023. They found that adults with severe and profound intellectual disabilities died on average at the age of 58, adults with mild intellectual disabilities died at the age of 65, and adults without an intellectual disability died at the age of 82. The age gap is mind-boggling.
Unfortunately, over 40% of the deaths studied were deemed preventable. Pneumonia, epilepsy, and cerebrovascular disease, among were all common causes. All of these conditions, if detected early, can usually be managed or treated. In the USA and UK, studies and data have shown that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have a life expectancy of at least 16 to 20 years shorter than those without IDD. Similar studies in Australia have noted that people with IDD has a 27-year gap in life expectancy.
Across Canada, numerous studies support the same findings. Globally, the pattern is consistent. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are dying younger, and many of those deaths could have been avoided.
These statistics however do not show the impact of illness on people. A person who cannot express pain in the usual fashion, may show pain by a change in routine. Someone who has a stomach ache may refuse to eat. A headache may make someone cry, or they may have difficulty falling asleep. Caregivers and families often notice these changes first, because they have know someone well.
There is also another side to this story. Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities are living longer than ever before. In 1950, the average lifespan for this group in the U.S. was around sixty-six years. By the year 2007, this average lifespan had increased to approximately seventy-eight years.
This remarkable increase reflects decades of progress in medicine, public health, community inclusion, and disability rights. But living longer brings new pressures. Many caregivers are aging, and are facing their own health challenges, with over a quarter of caregivers already 60 years old or older.
Unfortunately, the organizations that might be able to help fill in the gap are barely staying afloat. According to a report released this past fall, 88% of the service providers surveyed said they faced a staffing shortage in the last year. More than two-thirds were forced to turn away new referrals because they did not have enough employees to serve the clients they already had
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities will need support no matter their age in order to live safely and comfortably. Longevity is just the beginning. People should always be able to live their lives with stability and dignity.
Sources:
Durbin, Anna, et al. “Community and Hospital Healthcare Use by Adults With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Ontario, Canada, During the First 2 Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, vol. 69, no. 4, 2025, pp. 318–327. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.13209.
Landes, Scott D., et al. “Evidence of Continued Reduction in the Age-at-Death Disparity between Adults with and without Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities.” Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 34, no. 3, 2021, pp. 916–920. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12840.
Landes, Scott D., et al. “Trends in Mortality of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the United States.” Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 33, no. 3, 2020, pp. 345–355. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12682.
Reed, Jim. “Adults with Learning Disabilities Die 20 Years Early, Says Report.” BBC News, BBC, 2 Sept. 2025, http://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c939311dpn1o.
Reppermund, Simone, et al. “Factors Associated with Death in People with Intellectual Disability.” Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 33, no. 3, 2020, pp. 420–429. https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12684.
Thomas, Tobi. “People with Severe Intellectual Disabilities Live 24 Years Less on Average.” The Guardian, 17 Aug. 2026, http://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/17/severe-intellectual-disabilities-life-expectancy-study.
Walsh, James. “As People with Disabilities Live Longer, Twin Cities Facilities Rework Services.” Star Tribune, 28 Dec. 2025, http://www.startribune.com/as-people-with-disabilities-live-longer-twin-cities-facilities-face-more-demand-for-services/601543798.
Witherington, Erica, and Beth Rose. “Over Half of Adults with Learning Disabilities Do Not Live Past 65, Report Says.” BBC News, 13 July 2026, http://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnv949z75jmo.
Worthington, Elise. “People with Intellectual Disabilities Twice as Likely to Suffer Preventable Death, Study Finds.” ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 8 Feb. 2017, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-08/study-finds-intellectually-disabled-two-times-preventable-death/8248772.