Supporting families over the life course: mapping temporality.

DeLeon et al. (2003) built a map. The map shows how caregiving changes as families grow older.

They looked at families who care for someone with intellectual disability. The paper is ideas, not numbers.

The team says caregiving has stages. Needs shift as parents age and sons or daughters age.

The map helps you see what support a family might need next.

Davison et al. (1995) asked ageing moms how they feel. Their survey came first and gave real-life data that G et al. later turned into the stage map.

Van der Molen et al. (2010) came next. They kept the life-span view but added a new rule: put relationships first, not just independence.

Hsieh et al. (2014) tracked Swedish dads for five years. Their study gives a father-side proof that coping paths change over time, just as the 2003 map predicts.

Use the map when you write a care plan. Ask where the family sits today, where they may head next, and what support fits that next stage. A quick shift in questions can turn a static plan into a living guide that grows with the family.