‘I cannot be missed yet’: A qualitative study of carers of family members with an intellectual disability about long‐term care planning during the COVID‐19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: Family carers of people with an intellectual disability sometimes need to transfer their caregiving tasks for example because of illness or ageing. We examined carers' experiences with long‐term care planning and the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on their intentions to engage in long‐term planning in the Netherlands. METHOD: Twenty‐five semi‐structured interviews with family carers of people with an intellectual disability were conducted and 169 answers to an open question were thematically analysed. Data collection took place at three timepoints during 2020 and 2021. RESULTS: Family carers were recurrently concerned with long‐term care planning, especially with finding people to whom they can entrust their tasks. However, they perceived barriers in care planning. The COVID‐19 pandemic reinforced awareness of long‐term care planning and moved some to action. CONCLUSIONS: The perceived urge to plan by family carers has grown due to the COVID‐19 pandemic. The current study provides valuable insights for stakeholders to support them in this.