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Supporting families over the life course: mapping temporality
1School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK. g.grant@sheffield.ac.uk
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research : JIDR
|June 6, 2003
Summary
This study introduces a temporal perspective to family caregiving, particularly for individuals with intellectual disabilities. It proposes a heuristic model to understand evolving caregiving stages over the life course.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Family caregiving research often overlooks the temporal, evolving nature of caregiving experiences.
- Existing studies may assume a static state, neglecting life course factors influencing caregiving.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the neglected temporal dimension of family caregiving.
- To develop a framework for understanding the dynamic stages of caregiving over a lifetime.
- To apply this framework to families supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Main Methods:
- Review of theoretical and methodological issues in life-course research.
- Development of a heuristic model based on theoretical propositions.
- Integration of empirical evidence on family caregiving.
Main Results:
- A novel heuristic model for conceptualizing caregiving stages.
- Application of the model to families of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- Identification of temporal shifts and developmental trajectories in caregiving.
Conclusions:
- The proposed heuristic offers a new lens for studying family caregiving.
- Suggests avenues for future research and practical development in caregiving support.
- Highlights the importance of a life course perspective in understanding caregiving dynamics.