title: Aging with a serious mental disability in rural Northern Ontario: family members' experiences.
abstract: As people with serious mental disabilities grow older, their primary caregivers continue to be family members. This qualitative study explored the life experiences of people aging with a preexisting serious mental disability living in rural Northern Ontario, from the perspective of family members, and it identified the factors which facilitated or impeded their relative's current and future participation in community life. Results included the challenges of rural life, lack of support by health care providers, rural service needs, caregiver responsibility, the impact of aging on the individual and the family, and future concerns. New models for effective rural programs, services, community education, and effective partnerships with family members must be investigated.
authors.affiliation: School of Rehabilitation Science, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. tryssen@mcmaster.ca
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tryssenaar
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tremblay
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D009864:Ontario; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D012424:Rural Population