COVID 19 Pandemic Experiences Among Caregivers of Persons with Intellectual Disability

An online survey on experiences of 47 caregivers of persons with intellectual disability during COVID 19 pandemic was carried out to find out their experiences, with the aim to understand the focus areas of challenges, so as to organise need-based support systems. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data. The participants belonged to different states of India with varied socio-economic backgrounds. The results revealed that most of them experienced challenges in supporting persons with intellectual disability. Many found online classes beneficial, while some caregivers had difficulty in keeping the person occupied or managing challenging behaviour. Some caregivers were happy to get more time to spend with the person with intellectual disability at home. The outcome of this study suggests that irrespective of the background, the families faced challenges, the needs were varied and therefore specific efforts are to be taken to support the families so that they are prepared.