Supporting families over the life course: mapping temporality

BACKGROUND: The present paper addresses a rather neglected dimension of family caregiving, its temporality. Many accounts of caregiving assume a state of stasis, and therefore, overlook factors which shape the evolving experience of family caregiving over the life course. METHODS: The paper begins by offering some reflections on theoretical and methodological issues identified by life-course researchers. RESULTS: Based both on theoretical propositions and a growing body of empirical evidence, this paper offers a heuristic for thinking about caregiving stages applied to families supporting people with intellectual disability. CONCLUSIONS: This heuristic is used to suggest further avenues of research and development.