"Everything has changed since COVID": Ongoing challenges faced by Canadian adults with intellectual disabilities during waves 2 and 3 of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the lives of people with intellectual disabilities in many ways, impacting their health and wellbeing. Early in the pandemic, the research team delivered a six-week virtual group-based program to help Canadian adults with intellectual disabilities cope and better manage their mental health. The study's objective was to explore ongoing concerns among individuals with intellectual disabilities following their participation in this education and support program. Thematic analysis was used to analyze participant feedback provided eight weeks after course completion. Twenty-four participants were interviewed in January 2021 and May 2021 across two cycles of the course. Three themes emerged: 1) employment and financial challenges; 2) navigating changes and ongoing restrictions; and 3) vaccine anticipation and experience. These findings suggest that despite benefiting from the program, participants continued to experience pandemic-related challenges in 2021, emphasising the need to continually engage people with intellectual disabilities.

'More together than apart': The evaluation of a virtual course to improve mental health and well-being of adults with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: To address the growing concerns over poor mental health experienced by adults with intellectual disabilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a national virtual mental health course was delivered and evaluated. METHODS: This mixed methods study utilized both qualitative and quantitative assessments. Participants were 27 adults with intellectual disabilities who participated in the 6-week course. Participants completed measures of self-efficacy and well-being at three time points and qualitative satisfaction measures at post and follow-up. RESULTS: Attendance was high and the course was feasible and acceptable to participants. Positive changes related to mental health self-efficacy were detected (p = .01), though mental well-being did not improve. CONCLUSION: The study provided evidence for the feasibility and value of the course for this population. Future research should examine how virtual courses could support the population in terms of pandemic recovery and how courses may work for individuals who are less independent.