Quality of life of adults with mental retardation/developmental disabilities who live with family

In this paper, we review the literature related to the quality of life of adults with mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD) who live at home with their families. We examine the nature of the relationships between adults with MR/DD and their parents and siblings, the social worlds of adults with MR/DD, age‐related functional and health issues that affect their quality of life, the range of services and supports provided to them, and familial efforts to plan for their continued well‐being when parental care is no longer viable. Individual characteristics associated with these dimensions and/or more compromised quality of life profiles are identified. The paper concludes with recommendations for expanded research on the quality of life of adults with MR/DD who live in the parental home, a topic which has received markedly less attention than the quality of life of adults who live in publicly supported residential settings. MRDD Research Reviews 7:105–114, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.