Remote Support for Adults with Intellectual Disability During COVID-19: From a Caregiver's Perspective

The reality of people with ID changed during the pandemic COVID-19. Most institutions supporting people with ID switched to remote work. This required some major adaptation to these individuals' new realities, their immediate families, and facility staff. Supporting and monitoring the quality of life of individuals with disabilities and their family members during a crisis is an essential topic of current research. This research project aimed to explore the experiences of parents of adults with ID in relation to remote support provided by public support agencies. In a qualitative study, the authors used semistructured individual interviews with caregivers of people with ID. Data analysis distinguished the following categories: parents as therapists, organization difficulties, material problems, lack of social contacts, positive solutions, and difficult behavior. The results show the difficulties of parents in balancing professional, domestic, and supporting tasks. The study was the first in Poland to report on the qualitative assessment of remote support for people with ID during COVID-19. Further, more extensive research is needed to search for solutions that respect the rights of people with disabilities to professional support.