Longitudinal appraisals of family caregiving for people with disabilities enrolled in Medicaid managed care

Objective: To longitudinally examine the impact of public family support on appraisals of caregiving burden, satisfaction, and self-efficacy among families of adults with disabilities. Background: Little research exists on family support and the family experience within Medicaid managed care across disabilities and longitudinally. Method: Illinois Medicaid managed care enrollees with disabilities and their family members completed surveys over 2 years. Only families and enrollees who lived together were included (N = 182 pairs). Results: Family members with more unmet family support needs had increased caregiving burden and decreased satisfaction and self-efficacy. Family members providing more unpaid care reported higher burden. Black family members had significantly lower burden, and parents had significantly lower satisfaction and self-efficacy. Family members of enrollees with intellectual and developmental disabilities had higher self-efficacy. Conclusion: Family support is important to caregiving appraisals. Implications: There is a need for including family needs for services within assessments for services and within policy. Families provide a substantial amount of care for their family members with disabilities. More family support for family caregivers of people with disabilities is related to better caregiving appraisals within Medicaid managed care. Family caregiver support needs should be taken into account within policy and service assessments.