Quality of life of adults with mental retardation/developmental disabilities who live with family.
In this paper, we review the literature related to the quality of life of adults with mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD) who live at home with their families. We examine the nature of the relationships between adults with MR/DD and their parents and siblings, the social worlds of adults with MR/DD, age-related functional and health issues that affect their quality of life, the range of services and supports provided to them, and familial efforts to plan for their continued well-being when parental care is no longer viable. Individual characteristics associated with these dimensions and/or more compromised quality of life profiles are identified. The paper concludes with recommendations for expanded research on the quality of life of adults with MR/DD who live in the parental home, a topic which has received markedly less attention than the quality of life of adults who live in publicly supported residential settings. MRDD Research Reviews 7:105-114, 2001.
Seltzer
M M
MM
Waisman Center and School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin, 1500 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA. mseltzer@waisman.wisc.edu
Krauss
M W
MW
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000523:psychology*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000600:supply & distribution; D011788:Quality of Life; D012944:Social Support