Late Adulthood occurs from around fifty-five to one hundred and five years of age. This can prove to be a powerful time in a person's life. Many retire from their work careers during this stage to pursue other fulfilling activities such as community and political involvement. This is also a time to create or develop hidden talents and hobbies. Late adulthood can be a time of grief, losing friends and family members, and can create more isolation especially if work activities are not replaced with other enriching activities of choice.

For the person with a disability, maintaining a sense of belonging is critical to life satisfaction. Even in the face of loss, grieving is always easier when people have a sense of belonging and do not feel isolated.

John Russell John recently retired, but is keeping himself busy by participating in many community and statewide advocacy events. John’s life is full and has meaning. He is enriched by a community of supports and is an actively involved community member.  How does his example inspire you to work with others in his life stage?

Click for article Ability to Choose + Helpful Tools = Success

Kathie Snow asks several questions of us in this article. She asks us to consider what having access to choice and adaptations can mean in our lives. She also emphasizes that Support Brokers must not make a “half-hearted commitment” to elicit the choices of their employers. If you make the commitment to be a Support Broker, you make the commitment to fully honor and support an individual's life choices.


Download and print this life stage worksheet as a reference. This activity asks you to reflect upon activities and events that are basic expectations of the typically developing individual. However, when a person has a disability, society often thinks he or she remains childlike even throughout adulthood.  Review these life stages and consider how Support Brokers can assist individuals to be respected in ways that match their ages and experiences.

top