AGING MOTHERS OF RETARDED ADULTS--IMPACTS OF CAREGIVING

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The proposed longitudinal research is a study of 450 aging mothers who provide in-home care to an adult mentally retarded child. These mothers face an atypical and unstudied dual challenge: the continuing caregiving responsibility for a dependent child and the personal challenge of adjusting to the manifestations and consequences of their own aging. It is estimated that during the study period as many as two-thirds may permanently place their son or daughter out of the home for the first time. This study will investigate the factors contributing to late-life placement decisions, the consequences of such decisions for mothers who place and who do not place, and the impacts on the development of retarded adults of continuing to live at home compared to placement out of the home during their adult years. The study addresses these issues using a longitudinal data set to be collected from the largest existing sample in the country of aging mothers (mean age- 66 years) and their retarded adult sons or daughters (mean age-33 years), about one-third of whom have Down syndrome. In-home interviews and assessments with the 450 mothers and their adult retarded sons and daughters will be conducted three times (each 18 months apart) during the study period. The proposed research consists of 3 studies. Study 1 investigates the factors associated with successful aging in the mother (defined in terms of physical health, mental health, cognitive abilities, and functional abilities) and with favorable affective reactions to caregiving for her son or daughter with retardation. Comparisons will be made between mothers who do and do not place their retarded child during the study period, and between mothers whose child has Down syndrome and mothers whose child's retardation is due to other factors. Study 2 identifies the maternal and child characteristics predictive of late-life placement vase. continued in-home residence for the adult with retardation. Study 3 investigates the factors associated with successful aging in retarded adults, with comparisons made between placed and non- placed adults and between those with and without Down syndrome.