NURS N8174 Older Adult and Palliative Care in Intellectual Disability Assignment – Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT)

Intellectual Disability Nursing

Stage 4- Semester 7

Module- Older Adult and Palliative Care in Intellectual Disability

Word Limit-3000

Marks- 100%

Lecturer-Elizabeth Murphy

Submission date: The completed assignment with cover sheet must be submitted via the CA Assignment Portal on Moodle, which includes Turnitin by Date: 11t^h Dec 2025 at 23:59

Assignment Title

Mary is a 63-year-old lady with Down Syndrome and a moderate intellectual disability.

Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Dementia 4 years ago.

Current presentation

Mary’s condition has deteriorated in the last year. She is now entering the late stage of dementia where she is presenting with increased confusion, limited communication and is withdrawing from her daily social activities.

She requires significant support with her activities of living.

Her mobility has deteriorated.

She is having episodes of incontinence.

Mary is presenting with restlessness and agitation.

She has had a decline in her swallow function and a hospital admission for aspiration pneumonia.

Social situation

Mary resides in a community house with two other ladies who are also over the age of 60 years. She has 24/7 nursing support.

Mary has one sibling, her sister Kathleen who is very involved in her sister’s life, she visits Mary weekly and phones her every day.

Mary was a very active lady up until her diagnosis and attended a Retirement Programme where she has a close friendship with another lady who attends the programme called Rose.

Marys Father died when she was very young, she lived with her mother until she died 10 years ago.

Title

Critically analyse the role of the RNID in assessing and providing individualised holistic palliative care to Mary in collaboration with allied health professionals with specific reference to the National Clinical Programme of Palliative Care domains.

1. Physical Well Being
2. Social/occupational Well Being
3. Psychological Well Being
4. Spiritual Well Being

Assignment Guidelines

• The introduction should be clear outlining what the assignment will address.
• Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and comprehensive understanding of the lived experience of the older adult with an intellectual disability and dementia with integration of dementia care frameworks.
• There should be specific reference to the Palliative Care Need Assessment [PCNA], and understanding demonstrated of the appropriate level of palliative care and core competences.
• Critical analysis of person centred holistic palliative care with reference to the National Clinical Programme domains of Physical, Social/Occupational, Psychological, Spiritual Well Being.
• Critical evaluation of the role of the RNID, appropriate referral to and collaboration with Specialist Palliative Care, Allied Health Professionals and the potential services and supports available.
• Critical reflection on the role of the RNID in supporting sensitive communication and ethical decision making.
• Analysis of the concept of grief and bereavement for people with an intellectual disability.
• Include evidence of best practice and current highly relevant knowledge which must be referenced.
• Complete the assignment with a conclusion stating clearly what the case study covered.
• The DKIT (2019) Harvard system of referencing must be used.
• You can include Appendices at the back of your assignment.
• The assignment must be accompanied by an Assignment Cover Sheet
• Assignments must be submitted via turnitin.

Academic Integrity

• Plagiarism is a serious offence and will be dealt with through the formal college procedures.
• Read the DKIT policies on ‘Academic Integrity’ and ‘Assignment Guidelines and Assessment Criteria for Written Work’ at dkit.ie, Click on ‘About DKIT’ then click on ‘Policies’.
• Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools cannot be used in this assessment task. In this assessment, you must not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) (ChatGPT, ChatSonic, Bing Chat, Lex, DALL-E 2, or other tools) to generate any materials or content in relation to the assessment task. The DkIT Academic Integrity Policy and Procedures, https://www.dkit.ie/about-dkit/policies-and guidelines/academic-policies.html) states the following: “Using generative artificial intelligence tools (e.g. ChatGPT) in an assessment unless explicitly permitted to do so and with proper acknowledgement, is a form of plagiarism”.

Elizabeth Murphy, Nurse Lecturer, Intellectual Disability Nursing.

17^th September 2025