Which factor will increase the likelihood that an individual with mental retardation will be cared for in the family home?

Which factor will increase the likelihood that an individual with mental retardation will be cared for in the family home?

• A. The family lives in a urban area.
• B. The family lives in a suburban area.
• C. The family is of Asian, Black or Hispanic origin.
• D. The family has great financial resources.

Answer: (C)

Cultural expectations around caregiving influence whether a person with an intellectual disability is kept at home. In many Asian, Black, and Hispanic families, there is a strong norm of family-based caregiving, supported by extended family networks and a sense of obligation to care for relatives within the family. This tradition often leads families to keep care at home, even when services are available, due to values of filial responsibility, trust in family care, and practical barriers to institutional care such as access, cost, or language. The other factors—urban versus suburban residence or having greater financial resources—do not by themselves predict home-based care as reliably, and at times greater resources can enable alternative arrangements. Thus, the ethnic/cultural background described is associated with a higher likelihood of family home care. (Note: individual circumstances vary and cultural norms are not universal.)

Cultural expectations around caregiving influence whether a person with an intellectual disability is kept at home. In many Asian, Black, and Hispanic families, there is a strong norm of family-based caregiving, supported by extended family networks and a sense of obligation to care for relatives within the family. This tradition often leads families to keep care at home, even when services are available, due to values of filial responsibility, trust in family care, and practical barriers to institutional care such as access, cost, or language. The other factors—urban versus suburban residence or having greater financial resources—do not by themselves predict home-based care as reliably, and at times greater resources can enable alternative arrangements. Thus, the ethnic/cultural background described is associated with a higher likelihood of family home care. (Note: individual circumstances vary and cultural norms are not universal.)