Respite efficacy for parents of adults with intellectual disabilities: An ethnographic perspective

Respite care is a social support service that gives parents of people with intellectual disabilities a short break from the constant stress of giving care—an outside provider temporarily fills the caregiving role. Utilized by families of various socio-cultural backgrounds, little research to date examines respite efficacy holistically in different contexts. Through ethnographic research in the homes and communities of three families over six months of service utilization, meaningful patterns have emerged regarding the planning, perceptions, use, and expected outcomes of respite care. Findings include that parental satisfaction is associated with how parents make plans, if they find the care provider trustworthy, and how completely they and their adult children are able to achieve respite plans. In sum, service efficacy depends largely upon the degree to which parents feel in control of the entire respite experience