The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how personal care assistants understand and manage the eating related characteristics and dietary needs of adults with developmental disabilities. Adults with developmental disabilities often presen...
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how personal care assistants understand and manage the eating related characteristics and dietary needs of adults with developmental disabilities. Adults with developmental disabilities often present complex challenges during meals, including chewing and swallowing difficulties, sensory related food aversions, limited food variety, overeating tendencies, and behavioral issues that complicate safe and adequate intake. To explore how personal care assistants navigate these circumstances in real world care settings, in depth individual interviews were conducted with 11 assistants who had provided at least six months of continuous support, and 10 interviews were included in the final analysis. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using inductive content analysis. The findings revealed five overarching themes: the multifaceted and individualized eating related characteristics of adults with developmental disabilities; the expanded responsibilities of personal care assistants in meal preparation, food modification, and real time safety monitoring; limited access to formal training and reliance on informal, experience based knowledge; the strong influence of family and home environments on dietary practices; and systemic gaps in support following the transition to adulthood. These results indicate that personal care assistants play a critical and highly adaptive role that extends far beyond basic meal assistance. The study highlights the need for structured educational programs on nutrition, chewing and swallowing safety, and sensory based eating support, as well as strengthened collaboration among assistants, families, and nutrition professionals, along with policy level improvements to ensure continuous and equitable dietary support for adults with developmental disabilities.