Lived experiences of people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic from a crip time perspective

Abstract

The pandemic disrupted normative time for all and exposed systemic and societal inequalities affecting disabled people. This qualitative study, framed within crip time theory, explores how people with intellectual disabilities experienced the social restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iceland. Conducted between 2021 and 2023, the research involved twenty adults with intellectual disabilities. Findings indicate that the pandemic perpetuated isolation for people with intellectual disabilities who were already excluded from many aspects of normative spaces. The pandemic highlighted the precarity of the disability service system, revealing sub-standard support, lack of control over personal time, and feelings of intense loneliness among participants. To protect the disability service system, people with intellectual disabilities faced stricter and longer social restrictions compared to others. Despite this, they were not prioritised for vaccinations, and many felt neglected by authorities. The pandemic serves as a harsh reminder of the ongoing struggle for full social inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities. The article calls for a post-pandemic future that is better than the past, demanding a revaluation of societal attitudes and policies to ensure a more inclusive future.