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Peel Region Community Profile Data from DSO Central West Region
Presented to Peel Planning Group: November/2013
Purpose of this Summary: To provide Peel Planning Group and service provider partners with a
summary of key application data for community and agency planning purposes. It was presented at Peel
Planning Group’s November meeting.
A Brief Recap: Developmental Services Ontario Central West Region
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Helps adults apply for services and supports in their community
Opened in July 2011
Core functions
o Providing Information
o Confirming eligibility, using provincial standards based on Ministry policy directives
o Completion of the provincial application and needs assessment (ADSS and Supports
Intensity Scale)
o Connection with services and supports and registry management
2869 people are registered with DSO CWR in Peel Region
This Community Profile developed by DSO Central West Region
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Goal: a better understanding of what people want
o Ensure we are aware of trends
o Promote effective response to trends
We offer this data within a broader context: an understanding of our communities, in general
Sources of data for the profile
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Census of Canada 2011
Prevalence rates for developmental disability
Information systems use by DSO Central West Region
Review of application data obtained in 2012 – 2013
o 120 application packages were reviewed in detail (and is still in progress)
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Population of Peel Region, based on 2011 Census Data
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CWR’s largest community in population
o 1,296,814 people (2011)
o Second highest in Ontario (after Toronto)
o 11.8% increase over 2006
o 55% live in Mississauga; 45% live in Brampton-Caledon (with Brampton growth at
20.8%)
o 72,645 people, age 25 and older, live with their parents
o 110,000 people, 18 – 24, live with their parents
This tells us… If growth rates continue at 11.8%, then Peel’s population will grow by 153,000
people between 2011 and 2016. This is the equivalent of adding the population of Oshawa to
Peel Region. This places further pressure on the resources available to individuals and families
in Peel Region.
Languages in Peel Region, based on 2011 Census Data
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Great linguistic diversity in Peel Region
o Punjabi and Urdu are more commonly identified through application process than
French
90% have knowledge of English
Approximately 4% of Peel’s population has “no” knowledge of either English or French, based on
census definitions
This tells us… that based on census data and our own experiences as service providers, we will
continue to need to be innovative and responsive to the linguistic and cultural diversity of
Peel’s communities.
Developmental Disability in Peel Region
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Conflicting prevalence rates, depending on source you use
For this review, we based estimates on 2% of general population
App 26,000 people have an intellectual disability
o App 21,000 of these people are 15 years of age or older
o 2869 people in Peel are registered with DSOCWR (14% of that 21000 number)
Based on a 40% prevalence rate, there are approximately 8500 people in Peel Region, 15 years
of age or older, who have a dual diagnosis
What we are seeing… is that there a lot of people with developmental disabilities who are not
connecting with developmental services. Most people with developmental disabilities have
mild or lower support needs; these are people who may be getting the support they need from
family and support networks, or from generic community services that continue to become
more accessible, given AODA and other strides in accessibility. In general, people with higher
support needs are the people who are seeking out adult developmental services and supports.
This includes people with a dual diagnosis.
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From here, DSO Central West Region reviewed data from referrals and application packages
completed during the 2012-2013 fiscal year. It is our intention to provide a summary of data each year
to all of our planning tables.
Ages of people who completed intake with the DSO in Peel Region in 2012-2013:
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16 or 17 years old = 23%
18 – 24 years old = 49%
25 – 34 years old = 15%
35 years or older = 13%
This tells us that the majority of people seeking services through DSO are in the transitional
years, moving from high school to adult life. The number of people who are waiting for
Passport would seem to support this further; this represents greatest demand for immediate
support in Peel Region.
What kind of overall support needs did applicants for services have in 2012- 2013?
DSO Central West Region reviewed the aggregate data obtained through the Supports Intensity Scale
(SIS.) The SIS tells us what kind of support a person would need to be successful with a variety of
different life activities, based on the premise that we want to help all people enjoy a positive quality of
life in our community.
82% of people we met would need some kind of daily support if they lived in a developmental services’
residential setting.
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53% would need group home supports with continuous staff support and assistance
29% would need enhanced SIL supports – daily support and assistance, but not continuous
monitoring
18% would need SIL (weekly) supports. This would consist of approximately 4 – 6 hours of support each
week, provided in 1 or 2 weekly visits.
This tells us… that the vast majority of people coming to the DSO need some kind of daily assistance
with life activities.
Applicants in 2012 – 2013 also often presented with medical and behavioural support needs, too.
For people in Peel who completed the SIS in 2012-2013: Medical Needs
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16% need support with Seizure Management
16% need support with Lifts/transfers
11% need support with Turning/positioning
35% had some other kind of identified medical need
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For people in Peel who completed an application package in 2012-2013: They also often had physical
support needs.
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29% of applicants indicated some kind of mobility support need
19% used wheelchairs
25% needed barrier-free settings
For people in Peel who completed the SIS in 2012-2013: They frequently reported having Behavioural
Support Needs, also.
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54% of applicants needed support for Prevention of Tantrums and emotional outbursts
33% of applicants needed support for Prevention of Self-injurious behaviours
32% of applicants needed support for Prevention of Wandering
27% of applicants needed support for Prevention of Assaults/injuries to others
22% of applicants needed support for Prevention of Property destruction
19% of applicants needed support for Prevention of Inappropriate, but not sexually aggressive,
behavior
Residential Registry Data as of September 30/2013, Peel Region
To understand the numbers: In Central West Region, our residential registry numbers reflect the
number of people who would accept an appropriate residential support today if it was offered.
Recording information in this way helps us ensure that we can accurately report what people are
actually seeking at any given time. It also supports good decision-making by government in
understanding what people are really wanting (in terms of services.)
We can also identify the number of people coming to the DSO who may need residential support in the
future. Based on the data obtained through our meetings with people, we can further estimate how
many of those people would need group living/daily or supported independent living/weekly support.
People who would accept a residential support today:
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Group living = 212
Familyhome = 26
SIL = 56
Individual Residential Model = 69
TOTAL = 363 people
What we are seeing… is that residential registry numbers are lower than those for
Passport/Community Participation Supports. The decision to seek, and then accept, residential
supports is often a very difficult one for individuals and families, depending on their
circumstances. However, when a family says they need a residential placement immediately, it
is often a crisis situation.
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What People with Developmental Disabilities and Their Families Are Telling Us in Peel Region
DSO Central West Region undertook an intensive review of 120 of the application packages completed
in Peel in 2012-2013. We are reviewing an additional forty packages before concluding this work, and
summarizing our findings in a report for Central West Region at the end of the fiscal year. (Our goal is to
complete this with at least half of application packages completed in Peel in 2012-2013.) The following
data is extracted from that review:
Applicants’ Communication Skills/Abilities for people who completed an application in Peel Region in
2012-2013
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55% communicate verbally, primarily in English
o There were several applicants who spoke multiple languages
3% communicate through use of sign
8% communicate through use of augmentative communication systems (like Picture Exchange
Communication Systems)
34% communicate through use of alternative communication methods (body language, facial
expression, behavior)
This tells us that almost half of people with whom we are completing the application package
are unable to communicate with others verbally; for those who can, they often still require
significant support to make their needs and wishes known to others.
Are Families Engaging in Financial Planning with their Family Member?
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People who have undertaken some kind of financial planning =28%
People who have not = 72%
This tells us that most families that we meet are not engaged in any kind of financial planning
for their family member in the future.
Do Applicants for Services Have Faith/Cultural Preferences That Would Impact Service Delivery?
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Number of people who said “yes” – this would impact service planning = 34%
o Considerations identified included Christian, Muslim, and “Other”
However, many people identified faith community involvement that they did not feel would
impact planning
This tells us that many applicants for services and their families have personal cultural and
religious preferences that they want developmental services to consider when providing
support.
What About the Ages of Parents of Applicants in Peel?
In the application for services and supports, we can identify “Unpaid primary caregivers.” These are
typically parents.
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Most (49%) were between 50 and 59 years of age
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26% were 49 years or younger
16% were between 60 and 69 years of age
5% were between 70 and 79 years of age
4% were 80 years or older
Most parents in this review had adult children who were transitioning from school to adult
life, and/or who were in their early twenties. The need for support around employment,
volunteering, recreation, and other day time activities stood out when looking at applicants’
requests.
Applicants’ Personal Support Networks
When we complete the application form, we ask people to tell us about their current “support
network.” A support network consists of people, including family, friends, and paid support staff, that a
person can rely on for some kind of support. This question can help us identify how well connected a
person is within their community.
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Number of people who had more than 5 people in their support network = 12%
4 or 5 people in their support network = 34%
2 or 3 people in their support network = 45%
0 or 1 people in their support network = 9%
Typically, the fewer the number of people a person has in their support network, the more
socially isolated they tend to be
Typically, the fewer the number of people a person has in their support network, the less likely a
person has any kind of regular paid staff involvement – whether a 1:1 worker or through an
agency program
This tells us that, from this sample, over half of all applicants for services only had their
parents and, perhaps, one other person that they could count on for regular support. It could
suggest that the applicants we met with are very isolated in their community. There was also
a significant number of people (46%) from this sample who had support networks of 4 or more
people, consisting of family, friends, and paid support staff.
What Did People Tell Us About… Their Preferences, Strengths, Goals, and Dreams?
During the application meetings, we ask people about things they like, their goals, and their dreams.
This information can help people start to develop a personal plan that explores how developmental
services or other community services can help meet those needs or goals. It also helps us understand, as
developmental service agencies, how we help our programs and services evolve in ways that are
responsive to what people want.
Things that people liked: common themes were sports and recreation, music/arts/entertainment,
travelling/destinations, interests/general likes, career/education, technology, family/friends, and
religious/spiritual.
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Common sports responses included bowling, swimming, hockey, basketball, walking, watching
sports – but also included skiing, canoeing, yoga, chess, rug hooking, and Lego
Common music/arts responses included music, dancing, singing, movies, art – but also included
writing stories, Ojibway craft, pottery
Common travelling/destination responses included library, cottage, park – but also included
CLM outings, Playdium, and time with support workers
Common interests/general likes’ responses included clothes, jewelry/perfume, cooking/baking,
animals – but also included CICE, writing, math skills, learning languages
Common technology responses included watching TV, using the computer, playing video games,
and Ipad/cell phone.
Common family/friend responses included time with family, time with friends – and we heard of
interest in supports that could serve both an elderly parent and their adult child concurrently.
Common religious/spiritual responses included going to church, Christmas holidays, Muslim
holidays, and going to mosque.
This tells us that all of the people we met with enjoyed the same kinds and ranges of interests
that you and I enjoy; there are a lot of ways that we could help people with developmental
disabilities become engaged in their community.
Personal strengths/talents: the most common responses to “what are my strengths?” included being
friendly, being helpful, being happy, being loving, sense of humour, swimming, being kind, being caring,
nice smile, being social, and using computers. This tells us that applicants’ and their families identified
a lot of strengths that could be explored through employment, volunteering, recreation, and other
activities. Transformation’s vision of citizenship and community participation are shared by the people
coming to the DSO.
Applicants’ Goals: common themes were education-related, career-related, sports/recreation-related,
travel-related, health-related, self sufficiency-related, and family/friendship-related.
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Common education-related goals included participating in a day program, going to college,
improving reading/writing/math, and improving computer skills – but also included taking online
courses, CLM Summer Camp, learning sign language, learning to pray, and learning to write
poetry.
Common career-related goals included finding a job, volunteering, working in a
kitchen/restaurant (specifically), and working in retail (specifically) – but also included writing
children’s books, working in a movie theatre, and working with animals.
Common sports/recreation-related goals included improving swimming, being fit, bicycling,
playing basketball, and bowling – but also included baseball, soccer, and tennis.
Common travel-related goals included going to Canada’s Wonderland, Niagara Falls, and going
to the zoo, but also included going to Florida and Marineland.
Common health-related goals included staying healthy, exercising, losing weight, eating healthy,
being active, improving personal hygiene, and better control of seizures. These were the most
common kinds of goals across Central West, as well.
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Common self-sufficiency related goals included improving daily living skills/self care, cooking
skills, developing independence, money skills, learning the transit system, and communication
skills – and there was often overlap between these goals.
Common family/friendship-related goals included visiting family, and having more friends.
This tells us that applicants share a number of common goals that could be well-supported by
developmental services in Peel Region. They also have goals that should encourage us to
further open doors in our colleges and other educational opportunities.
Applicants’ Dreams: common themes were career, music/arts/entertainment, travel, self-sufficiency,
education, and family/friend/relationships.
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Common career-related dreams were very diverse and highly individualized – but often centred
around working with others in restaurants, landscaping, working with children.
Common music/arts/entertainment dreams included becoming a singer, learning to play a
musical instrument, and dancing – but also included being a DJ and publishing song lyrics.
Common travel dreams included going to Disney World, vacationing someplace hot – but also
included NASCAR, European destinations, and having a cottage.
Common education-related dreams included going to college or university, learning
reading/writing/math, learning new languages.
Common self-sufficiency-related dreams included learning to drive (very significant number),
living on own, being able to communicate with others, being independent, learning how to use
computers, and cooking – but also included “being normal,” participating in normal life, and
being involved in the adult world. These comments hinted at the very real isolation many of the
people we met in Peel feel.
Common family/friend/relationship dreams included getting married, having a girlfriend or
boyfriend, having friends, living with their family for as long as possible, visiting family, and
seeing relatives who passed away – but also included having a family of own, wishing Mom was
less stressed, sitting at the dinner table with family, peace in family, having real friends, and
having men friends.
This tells us that the dreams of people with developmental disabilities (in this review of
application packages) often involve greater connection with others, greater participation in
community, and greater recognition of their talents and abilities. It also highlighted how very
lonely some of the people we are meeting feel – especially in terms of having few friends and
intimate relationships.
Some Early Conclusions, Based on the Review to Date:
1) Peel Region continues to be one of Ontario’s fastest growing communities, especially in
Brampton. This will result in increased service pressures in the future.
2) Social isolation is a real concern for people who applied for services in 2012 – 2013. Many talked
about having friends as a dream - but few identified it as a goal that could be explored over the
coming year. And while many people want to have a boyfriend/girlfriend, or get married, few
people actually did. Most serious of all, a large number of applicants in this sample had support
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networks of 3 people or less. This suggests that most applicants’ key support is provided
primarily by their parents – the majority of whom are in their 50’s or older, and facing increasing
health challenges of their own.
Fewer caregivers in their 70’s or older were seeking immediate residential supports for their
family member (compared to other parent age groups). Many parents come to depend on their
adult child at home, practically and financially, as they themselves get older. However, they
want to be connected with the DSO in case they need assistance. And when crisis situations
arise (due to a parental health crisis), they need an urgent and immediate response. People
want to know that we will be able to respond with residential supports, if a crisis occurs.
Most people calling the DSO were needing help transitioning from school to adult life. This was
the primary age group of applicants (16 – 24).
Peel is Central West Region’s most diverse community, culturally and linguistically, and this
impacts service delivery for all of us. In addition, we need to look at how faith and cultural
preferences impact applicants’ expectations of services in the future.
People seeking support through the DSO tend to have higher support needs – the equivalent of
needing some kind of support every single day to be successful. In addition, behavioural support
needs are very common for people applying for services – placing real pressure on residential,
day, and behavior support services in Peel Region. It is very difficult for people with behavioural
support needs to access residential supports in Peel.
Behavioural support needs aren’t the only issues that applicants face. One in four applicants in
our sample required barrier-free, accessible locations – whether for residential, day support, or
other programs. This needs to be considered in any kind of program planning for the future.
There are a lot of people who have not undertaken any kind of financial planning for the future,
such as setting up RDSP’s. This is significant because other kinds of planning often depend on
financial planning – such as transitioning from school to adult life, or support in later years.
Applicants for services identified a number of common needs and challenges – but they also
identified a number of common, very positive strengths. This information could help promote
positive images of people in our community in a variety of ways – opening doors for
employment, partnering with other community organizations, or the like. Barriers caused by
stigma could be further weakened in Peel Region – and inclusiveness and community
participation, further strengthened.
There were some very clearly defined, common likes, goals, and dreams for applicants in Peel –
and these may provide some ideas around new and innovative ways for agencies to connect
with applicants. This can include purchase-of-service opportunities. The DSO can help service
providers “test” out whether such ideas will be successful by contacting applicants and their
families for permission to share contact information.
PREPARED FOR PEEL PLANNING GROUP BY:
Gary Whetung
Director, DSO Central West Region
November/2013
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