Aging that includes an intellectual and developmental disability

An article in this special issue (page S30) discusses the story of Sarah, a 52-year-old woman with Williams syndrome, who enjoys singing with friends in a choir and participating in a day program.1 Gradually she has been resisting being involved in these activities. Lately, she has had falls outside the home and increased difficulty hearing. Sarah’s day program can no longer accommodate her because she has started behaving aggressively toward others. Sarah’s sister, who is her primary caregiver, is distressed. So is Sarah. This perplexing scenario is common enough. Could the changes in Sarah’s life be signs that she is aging, despite her relatively young chronologic age