ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to explore the feasibility of involving family members who have an older relative with developmental disabilities 1 in the case management process. The fragmentation of health and social services for older persons has been well documented (Lowy, 1980), and this phenomenon is also characteristic of services for persons with developmental disabilities (Braddock, 1987). It is not surprising, then, that when a person with developmental disabilities reaches old age, the fragmentation of services becomes even more problematic. The older person must obtain services from both the aging network and the developmental disabilities service system, and these must be coordinated effectively (Seltzer, 1988). While professional case management is a useful support for older persons with developmental disabilities, there are advantages in training a family member to participate with professionals in the case management process.
