Families are the primary providers of care for adults with developmental disabilities.
The numbers of aging family caregivers is likely to grow as people with developmental disabilities are living longer and as the unmet need for residential services increases. Needs of Aging Family Caregivers Extended life expectancy. The period of family caregiving responsibility has lengthened with the increased life expectancy of adults with developmental disabilities. The life expectancy and age-related medical conditions of adults with developmental disabilities are similar to that of the general population unless they have severe levels of cognitive impairment, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or have multiple disabilities. Like that of the general population, lifespan or longevity among adults with non-organic forms of mental retardation has increased considerably over the past 50 years.