Oudere broers en zussen van mensen met een verstandelijke beperking : een groepsportret.

Abstract

This study investigated the experiences of elderly brothers and sisters of living with a mentally retarded sibling. As a child, respondents helped their parents with their mentally retarded sibling. The respondents suffered from this caretaking in their youth. In adulthood, the parents passed on the responsibility for the handicapped child mostly to the youngest child in the family. They now act as contacts for the institutions where the mentally retarded sibling lives. The other brothers and sisters are less in touch with their handicapped sibling. The respondents do not discuss explicitly with their children who will take over this role once they themselves are no longer able to do so.