Adult with Disability Living at Home

More people are surviving catastrophic trauma and disease and are living longer than ever before, often with a variety of disabilities. In the 2008 American Community Survey (ACS), more than 10% of adults ages 21 to 64 years reported disabilities. This rises to 40% of adults ages 65 years and older. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, about 44 million family members provide unpaid care to relatives in the United States, accounting for 80% of long-term care.

The term disability represents a broad spectrum of abilities and functional limitations that vary based on the cause(s) of the condition, the individual's cultural and psychological makeup, and the level of accessibility and support in the environment. Adults with disabilities experience functional impairments, which often affect their abilities to ...