Bridging Systems To Support Families Aging Together

By 2030, the number of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) ages 60 and older is projected to nearly double, from 641,000 in 2000 to approximately 1.2 million, representing roughly 25–30 percent of the I/DD population. Many adults with I/DD live with family caregivers, most often aging parents or other older relatives. Family caregivers face their own health challenges associated with aging, including declining cognitive and functional capacity, which may impact their ability to care for their loved one. In our recent project on engaging adults with I/DD and their family caregivers, both family caregivers and adults with I/DD shared concerns about what will happen when caregivers are no longer able to help. As more adults with I/DD are living longer, there is an increasing urgency for coordination and integration between programs that support people with I/DD and their family caregivers as they age together.

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