Spotlight on older siblings!
On this page:
Introduction
This research project ‘Spotlight on older siblings!’ (Volwassen broers en zussen in beeld) examines the role of the second generation of relatives (siblings) in the lives of people with a profound intellectual disability (PID).
Part 1: the role of siblings
The purpose of the first part of the project is to gain insight into the roles that adult siblings play in the lives of people with a profound intellectual disability (PID):
• What roles do adult siblings play in the lives of people with PID?
• How do siblings experience this role?
• How do roles shift from the parents of people with PID to their siblings as the parents age?
• And how does the involvement of siblings influence the social contacts and participation of people with PID?
Part 2: collaboration with healthcare professionals
The second part of the project focuses on collaboration between siblings and healthcare professionals. Would you like to participate in this research project? To sign up, click on this link (Dutch).
About the researcher
What is your role within the Academic Collaborative Centre related to people with PIMD?
In my current position as a postdoc researcher, the experiences and involvement of the informal social network is my main research topic. This follows up on my doctoral research that focused on roles and experiences of adult siblings of individuals with pervasive support needs and intellectual disabilities.
What do you hope to achieve?
Given present and expected challenges in the support for individuals with intellectual disabilities, an increased understanding of family members’ experiences is important. Challenges such as high staff turnover and personnel shortages can put extra pressure on family members. In addition, collaboration with healthcare professionals is more complicated in such circumstances. Through my research I would like to contribute to better support for family members and improved mutual understanding and collaboration between family members and healthcare professionals.