People with learning disabilities are now living longer and learning disability services have been designed for younger people

Foundation for People with Learning Disabilties

A survey by the Foundation of 530 nursing and residential homes found staff were often untrained in caring for people with learning disabilities.

Patients with learning disabilities were on average, around 20 years younger than other residents - and there was little support from professionals outside the homes.

Many also missed out on a supportive social network, or social actives such as day centres.

The charity said cost could be a factor in where the residents were placed. Good quality residential care for people with learning disabilities could cost up to �43,000 per year. Placements in nursing and residential homes cost �13,300 and �18,300 respectively.

Review

A spokeswoman for the Foundation told BBC News Online: "The fact is that people with learning disabilities are now living longer and learning disability services have been designed for younger people.

"So it's now time for services to recognise that fact and actually adapt those services for people as they get older.

The charity is now calling for a review of the placement of people with learning disabilities in older people's homes.

It is also calling for a register of people with learning disabilities, who should remain the responsibility of experts in the area, rather than those trained in the general care of the elderly.

The Foundation also wants social networks to be maintained for the residents.

Knowledge gap

The survey found 215 homes had 150 people with learning disabilities living in them.

A further 47 homes had looked after someone in the previous five years.

Forty per cent of patients had moved into the homes before their 65th birthday - and many had been moved because their previous residential centre had been closed.

But many of the offices which register and inspect the homes do not know how many patients with learning disabilities are resident, according to the Foundation.

These units are charged with ensuring no-one under 65 is admitted to a care home. Only 13.5% said they would never accept a resident below that age.

The survey found four out of 10 people had entered their home before they were 65

Forty per cent of homes felt staff did not have appropriate training to care for people with learning disabilities.

Only a quarter of residents had seen a learning disability professional in the last year.

Many felt socially isolated - a third went out less than once a week.

Brian McGinnis, Special Advisor at the mental health charity Mencap said: "Social Services need to come to terms with the fact that people with a learning disability are living longer, and that existing services for older people commonly fail to meet their social and emotional needs.

"We need to develop services which really cater for people's individual circumstances."

In March, the government promised �100m to revolutionise the lives of people with learning disabilities.

Health Secretary Alan Milburn said the first White Paper on the issue in 30 years would tackle better civil rights, independence, choice and inclusion.

It will look at employment, housing and health issues for those with learning disabilities.