Positive moments in residential settings for adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities

Abstract

Positive experiences bring meaningfulness to everyday life. However, the positive everyday moments in the lives of adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities often remain quite narrow and marginalised due to the focus on health, motor, cognitive, and communicative issues. This intrinsic case study aims to highlight these perspectives. Four residents living in unique residential settings for adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities, and 14 staff members, participated in the study. The data were collected by adapting photovoice, in which the staff interpreted the residents’ communication. The data were analysed using content and thematic analysis. The results showed that residents’ positive moments mainly involved engaging in activities together in technological and immediate environments, alongside internal and external sensory stimuli. Sometimes, they included significant others, exceptions, distant environments, and self-expression. Virtual nature environments in a four-meter-wide dome expanded the residents’ immediate surroundings. The residents experienced moments of settling and control.