Abstract:

National questionnaire data from area agencies on aging are used to explore the extent to which they are implementing service provisions per 1987 & 1992 amendments to the Older Americans Act regarding persons with developmental disabilities & their family caregivers. Specifically, presence of related organizational mechanisms, services, & linkages to other agencies are assessed. While most area agencies on aging reported the presence of related services & linkages, organizational mechanisms likely to develop & sustain options for these families were less evident. Respondents generally reported that they had no reliable estimate of the number of older persons providing primary care to adults with a developmental disability in their catchment area. It is recommended that families, advocates, & state units on aging encourage area agencies on aging to carry out local needs assessments & more vigorously develop organizational mechanisms in their agencies to provide support to older caregivers of adults with a developmental disability.