Last modified: Thursday, June 19, 2008
Families are aging: Research participants sought for IU study
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 19, 2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- People with developmental disabilities are living longer, healthier lives than at any point in history. Planning for this population has become very important.
The Indiana Division of Disability and Rehabilitative Services, Family and Social Services Administration, has identified a need to gain a deeper understanding of the range of possible supports that might enable aging parents and siblings to retain their adult family member with a developmental disability in the home environment, where such a goal is shared by all.
Additionally, the division wants to better understand the role that effective family planning can play in assuring that adult children with disabilities, upon the incapacity or death of a primary family caregiver, will continue to live and work in the community of their choice.
People with developmental disabilities are living longer, healthier lives, but may rely on aging parents or siblings as caregivers.
As a result, in-depth interviews with older parents and/or siblings are being conducted around Indiana by researchers from Indiana University's Indiana Institute on Disability and Community. Specifically, the institute is seeking to interview parents or siblings aged 70 and older who provide support in their home for an adult family member, or family members, with a developmental disability.
Confidential interviews will be conducted with the individual seen as the "primary caregiver," as determined by the participating family. Interviews will be conducted in the home or in another private location of the interviewee's choice. The selection of interview participants will be partly determined by travel resources and schedules of the researchers.
If you or someone you know would be interested in participating, contact Lora Wagers at the Indiana Institute's Center on Aging and Community for more information about the project. Wagers may be contacted by mail at 2853 E. 10th St., Bloomington, IN 47408-2696; by phone at 800-825-4733 (toll-free) or 812-855-6508; by fax at 812-855-9630; or by email at lwagers@indiana.edu. Please reference study #08-13233.
