Older Adult Caregivers of Developmentally Disabled Household Members: Service Needs and Fulfillment

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which there is a need for formal support services among older caregivers with individuals in their homes who are developmentally disabled or intellectually handicapped (DD/IH). The factors which influenced the fulfillment of such service needs...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of gerontological social work 1987-04, Vol.10 (1-2), p.35-50
Main Authors: Caserta, Michael S., Connelly, J. Richard, Lund, Dale A, Poulton, James L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Congenitally Handicapped
Family Role
Health Care
Mentally Retarded
Needs Assessment
Public Support
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which there is a need for formal support services among older caregivers with individuals in their homes who are developmentally disabled or intellectually handicapped (DD/IH). The factors which influenced the fulfillment of such service needs were also explored. Information was obtained from a sample of 198 caregivers ranging in age from 50-84, concerning services needed and received, perceived health, competence, difficulty in locating services, as well as a variety of sociodemographic data. The sample reported a significant need for a number of key services, including housekeeping, home repairs, personal counseling, legal services, and physician's services. Only the indentified need of physicians' services was adequately filled. Multiple regression analyses revealed that perceived health was the strongest predictor of need fulfillment among those caregivers 60 years of age or older, while difficulty in locating services and perceived competence were influential in explaining need fulfillment of those caregivers between the ages of 50-59. Implications for public policy and future research are discussed.
ISSN:0163-4372
1540-4048
DOI:10.1300/J083V10N01_04