The care burden of families with members having intellectual and developmental disorder: a review of the recent literature.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this article is to review recent studies on the care burden of families with a member having intellectual and developmental disorder. RECENT
FINDINGS: The family is the core unit for providing care to people with intellectual and developmental disorder, regardless of where they live. Recent research on this issue has been focused on two areas: the lifelong burden itself and its impact on the family. The research has incorporated a range of different approaches and has yielded diverse findings.
SUMMARY: The longevity of people with intellectual and developmental disorder has made caring for older adults with intellectual developmental disorder developing dementia a new challenge. In addition, worldwide deinstitutionalization has made it possible for people with intellectual and developmental disorder to live within their communities and integrate with the general population. Because disabled individuals may become parents themselves, the requirements of family care for children born to persons with intellectual and developmental disorder may be different from previous generations of parents who raised children with IDD.