Midlife and Aging Parents of Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Impacts of Lifelong Parenting

Abstract Using population data, this study included parents of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (n = 220) and parents of individuals without disabilities (n = 1,042). Parents of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities were further divided into those who co-resided with their adult child and those whose adult child lived elsewhere, and the 3 groups were compared regarding parental patterns of attainment, social participation, psychological functioning, and health in midlife and early old age. In midlife, parents of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities were similar in general to comparison parents. However, by early old age, these parents had poorer health and mental health. Co-residence between the adult with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the parent was prevalent during midlife (51.4%) and in the early years of old age (38.6%), and there were different patterns of parental outcomes, depending on the residential status of the adult with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Download Full-text

Lifelong Parenting of Adults With Developmental Disabilities: Growth Trends Over 20 Years in Midlife and Later Life

American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1352/1944-7558-123.3.228 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 123 (3) ◽

pp. 228-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Eun Ha Namkung ◽

Jan S. Greenberg ◽

Marsha R. Mailick ◽

Frank J. Floyd

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Developmental Disabilities ◽

Old Age ◽

Adult Child ◽

Later Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Aging Parents ◽

Health And Well Being ◽

Adults With Developmental Disabilities

Abstract This research examined how parenting adults with developmental disabilities affects parental well-being beyond midlife and into old age. Parents of adults with developmental disabilities (n = 249) and parents of adults without disabilities (n = 9,016), studied in their early 50s and mid-60s, were longitudinally tracked into their early 70s. Compared to parents of adults without disabilities, parents of adults with disabilities showed a pattern of normative functioning in their 50s, followed by poorer well-being in their mid-60s, and further declines in health and well-being into the early 70s. Aging parents who co-resided with their adult child with disabilities were particularly vulnerable, experiencing a steeper increase in depressive symptoms and body mass index (BMI) than parents whose child with disabilities lived away from home.

Download Full-text

Aging Parent-Adult Child Coresidence

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/019251396017001004 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 46-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

GARY R. LEE ◽

JEFFREY W. DWYER

Keyword(s):

Adult Child ◽

Population Data ◽

The Elderly ◽

Medicare Beneficiaries ◽

Term Care ◽

Aging Parents ◽

Elderly Parents ◽

Parental Characteristics ◽

Care Survey

Several recent studies have concluded that coresidence between aging parents and their adult children is caused by the children's dependency needs, whereas parental characteristics are irrelevant. We argue that these studies are based on samples that contain insufficient proportions of elderly parents who possess the characteristics that eventuate in coresidence. Such elders, however, represent a large and important segment of the elderly population. Data from the National Long-Term Care Survey, a sample of Medicare beneficiaries, indicate that the probability of coresiding with children is elevated by parents' advanced age, failing health, and absence of a spouse. At the same time, children's characteristics (marital status and employment status) are also important predictors of coresidence.

Download Full-text

Later Life Impacts of Social Participation on Parents of Adult Offspring With and Without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1352/1944-7558-123.1.50 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 123 (1) ◽

pp. 50-60 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Darren L. Olsen ◽

Frank J. Floyd ◽

Marsha R. Mailick ◽

Jan S. Greenberg

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Developmental Disabilities ◽

Old Age ◽

Social Participation ◽

Family Members ◽

Later Life ◽

Direct Care ◽

Adult Offspring ◽

Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities ◽

Important Resource

Abstract Social participation is an important resource for parents in old age, and may be particularly important for parents living with adult offspring with intellectual and developmental disabilities. To evaluate whether socializing with friends and family and participating in social organizations protects against depression in old age, this study examined parents of adult offspring with disabilities (n = 164) and without disabilities (n = 820). As expected, more socializing with friends and more participating in organizations were associated with fewer depressive symptoms for all parents. However, socializing with family members predicted fewer depressive symptoms only for parents co-residing with their adult offspring with disabilities, suggesting that socializing with family is particularly important for parents providing direct care to adults with disabilities.

Download Full-text

Shared reality of the abusive and the vulnerable: the experience of aging for parents living with abusive adult children coping with mental disorder

International Psychogeriatrics ◽

10.1017/s1041610214001495 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 26 (11) ◽

pp. 1917-1927 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Tova Band-Winterstein ◽

Yael Smeloy ◽

Hila Avieli

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Mental Disorder ◽

Old Age ◽

Mentally Ill ◽

Adult Child ◽

Well Being ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Shared Reality ◽

Aging Parents

ABSTRACTBackground:Increasing numbers of aging parents are finding themselves in the role of caregiver for their mentally ill adult child due to global deinstitutionalization policy. The aim of this paper is to describe the daily aging experience of parents abused by an adult child with mental disorder and the challenges confronting them in this shared reality.Methods:Data collection was performed through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 parents, followed by content analysis.Results:Three major themes emerged: (a) old age as a platform for parent's vulnerability facing ongoing abuse; (b) “whose needs come first?” in a shared reality of abusive and vulnerable protagonists; (c) changes in relationship dynamics.Conclusions:Old age becomes an arena for redefined relationships combining increased vulnerability, needs of both sides, and its impact on the well-being of the aging parents. This calls for better insights and deeper understanding in regard to intervention with such families.

Download Full-text