Current Well-Being and Future Plans of Older Caregiving Mothers

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Abstract
The well-being of a sample of older mothers of adults with retardation who live at home was compared with that of other samples of caregiving women and women their age. The results indicated that the mothers in the present sample were functioning as well as or superior to the reference groups, suggesting that positive adaptation to long-term caregiving is typical. The long-term care plans of mothers of adults with retardation were also examined. Over half of the mothers anticipated continued family-based responsibility for the care of their adult child with retardation; only. one-third viewed residential placement as a viable option. Explanations are offered for the reluctance of mothers to consider publicly-supported residential programmes .