CAREGIVERS CHALLENGES AND QUALITY OF CARE TOWARDS MENTALLY RETARDED CHILDREN

Abstract

Mental retardation is a lifetime disability with
a considerable impact on the lives around them. The
challenge of caregivers in attending mentally retarded
children is multidimensional involving physical, emotional,
financial, social and physical burden. Parents and/or
caregivers playing an important part in the family have to
deal not only with the concerns associated with child’s
impairment but also have to maintain the household. As a
result, the high quality of care needed by a mentally retarded
child may become psychologically, emotionally and
physically stressful to caregivers. Although there have been
numerous studies conducted to determine the burdens of
families with a mentally retarded member around the globe,
little was known about the association of the caregivers
care-related constraints and their quality of care.