Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council WE CARE (Wellness, Education, Confidence, Assessment & Recognizing Emergencies)

Project Grantee: Association on Aging with Developmental Disabilities (AADD)

Project Background

More individuals with developmental disabilities are living longer and face age-related changes in their health, retirement, finances, mobility, and community involvement. Individuals with I/DD are also outliving parents who are often their primary caregivers. As these caregivers continue to grow older, they often become less able to provide care for their loved one as they may also have to address their own health problems, physical disabilities, and other age-related concerns. This inability to care for their loved one with I/DD causes additional stress and anxiety on current care and on planning for the future. With a growing number of Missourians who are aging, our system must better understand these unique needs to adequately support older individuals with developmental disabilities and their caregivers during this life stage.

The Association on Aging with Developmental Disabilities, in partnership with the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Institute for Human Development, has created and implemented WE♥CARE, an eight-week curriculum to be implemented by organizations and communities nationwide to empower mutual caregivers with developmental disabilities.  An asynchronous online version of the WE♥CARE curriculum is available, including eight modules with corresponding handouts, supportive handouts, pre- and post- evaluations, and a comprehensive facilitation guide. All materials are available at no cost in both English and Spanish and are located on the WE♥CARE curriculum page.