Walker Ruth, Belperio Irene, Bigby Christine, Wiesel Ilan, Rillotta Fiona, Hutchinson Claire
College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
Living With Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
J Appl Res Intellect Disabil. 2025 Mar;38(2):e70047. doi: 10.1111/jar.70047.
It is well documented that many adults with intellectual disabilities live with ageing parents, often without concrete plans for transitioning to alternative living arrangements. Little is known about transition experiences once they occur. This study explores the experiences of adults with intellectual disabilities and their family members of this transition through a relational lens.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 people: 8 adults with intellectual disabilities, 13 parents, and 4 siblings.
Three themes were constructed from the data: 'Gaining independence and letting go', 'negotiating unfamiliar relationships' and 'social inclusion and making new connections.'
Adults with intellectual disabilities discussed numerous benefits associated with moving out of the family home, including increased autonomy and opportunities for new relationships. Family members also described benefits of the transition, but some grappled with needing to 'let go' whilst at the same time retaining some degree of control over their family members' lives.
有充分记录表明，许多成年智障人士与年迈的父母生活在一起，通常没有向其他生活安排过渡的具体计划。对于过渡一旦发生后的经历，人们了解甚少。本研究通过关系视角探讨了成年智障人士及其家庭成员在这一过渡过程中的经历。
对25人进行了半结构化访谈：8名成年智障人士、13名父母和4名兄弟姐妹。
从数据中构建了三个主题：“获得独立与放手”、“协商陌生关系”和“社会包容与建立新联系”。
成年智障人士讨论了搬离家庭住所带来的诸多好处，包括自主性增强和建立新关系的机会。家庭成员也描述了过渡的好处，但一些人在需要“放手”的同时，还要在一定程度上保留对其家庭成员生活的控制权，为此而纠结。
