Later-life planning: promoting knowledge of options and choice-making.

The effectiveness of a person-centered later-life planning training program designed to teach older adults (N = 60) with mental retardation about later-life planning issues and increase their participation in choice-making was examined. Using quantitative data analyses, we assessed the impact of the program on intervention and control groups. Results indicated that the intervention group gained more knowledge of concepts in the curriculum and made more choices over time than did the control group. The wide variety of goals that participants set were examined through qualitative analyses; 87% of the participants met or partially met their goals. Information on the supports and barriers to meeting goals is provided.