A peer support intervention was developed to support aging caregivers and adults with developmental disabilities in planning for the future. The intervention consisted of a legal/financial training session followed by five additional small-group workshops. Pretest and 1-year follow-up surveys were conducted with 29 families participating in the…

The effectiveness of a person-centered later-life training program designed to teach 60 older adults with mental retardation about later-life planning issues and to increase their participation in choice-making was examined. Participants made more choice over time than did a control group and 87 percent met or partially met their goals. (Contains…

Permanency plans made by 100 family caregivers of adults with mental retardation living at home were analyzed. Regression analyses indicated that the individual's functioning level, caregiver characteristics, and support resources predicted preference for placement in a residential program, whereas only caregiver characteristics predicted whether…

An examination of differences among older families (25 Black, 75 White) regarding permanency planning for their mentally retarded dependents indicated that Black families were less likely to desire outside residential placements, and were also less likely to make future financial arrangements for their mentally retarded relative following their…