Roadmap to Adulthood: Helping a Loved One With Intellectual Disabilities Prepare for What Comes Next

For families of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, thinking about adulthood can bring both excitement and a lot of questions.

What skills will my loved one need as an adult?

How can we encourage greater independence while still providing the right support?

How will they manage money, friendships and responsibilities?

Where might they live?

And perhaps one of the biggest questions of all: What will a meaningful adult life look like for them?

These are conversations worth having long before every answer is known.

At the 2026 National Down Syndrome Congress Annual Convention in Orlando, Dr. Molly Denny, Director of Community Life at Daymark Living, shared a Roadmap to Adulthood designed to help families begin thinking about some of the important areas that shape adult life.

Adulthood Is More Than Learning Life Skills

Preparing for adulthood isn't one milestone or one decision. It's a process.

Dr. Molly's Roadmap to Adulthood encourages families to think broadly about several areas of adult life:

Building a Circle of Influence

Who are the people in your loved one's life beyond immediate family?

A strong circle can include friends, coworkers, mentors, neighbors, instructors and others who provide connection, encouragement and support. Building those relationships is an important part of creating a full adult life.

Learning to Manage Money

Money touches nearly every part of adulthood.

Learning how to make purchases, understand the value of money, make spending choices and take increasing responsibility for personal finances can all be important pieces of preparing for adulthood.

The goal doesn't have to be doing everything without assistance. It can be learning how to participate, make choices and use appropriate support when needed.

Raising Adults

One of the most important shifts families can make is remembering that we aren't simply raising children — we're preparing future adults.

As our loved ones grow, expectations can grow with them.

That may mean practicing responsibilities at home, allowing room to make choices, encouraging problem-solving and creating opportunities to try things independently before automatically stepping in to help.

Growth often happens through practice.

Asking: Where Should I Live?

For many families, this can be one of the hardest questions to consider.

Will my loved one always live at home? Could they live with roommates? Would a supportive residential community be appropriate? How much assistance will they need?

There isn't one answer that's right for every person or every family.

The important thing is to begin the conversation. Thinking about future living options gives families time to explore possibilities and consider what combination of independence, community and support may be the best fit.

Learning to Manage Emotions

Adult life comes with disappointment, frustration, change, conflict and unexpected situations.

Learning to recognize emotions, communicate needs and develop strategies for working through difficult moments can be an important part of preparing for greater independence.

These skills aren't separate from independent living. They're part of it.

Building Relationships With Others

Friendships, coworkers, neighbors and personal relationships are part of a meaningful adult life.

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve opportunities to build genuine relationships, develop social skills, navigate boundaries and experience the belonging that comes from having people in their lives who aren't there simply because they're paid or related to them.

Maybe Complete Independence Isn't the Goal

One of the most important ideas from Dr. Molly's NDSC presentation was a different way of thinking about independence.

The goal of adulthood may not always be complete independence.

Instead, we can think about interdependence.

Interdependence means having the skills, supports, relationships and opportunities needed to make choices, contribute with purpose and live a fulfilling life with an appropriate level of support.

That's an important distinction.

After all, none of us truly lives independently. We rely on friends, family, coworkers, professionals and communities throughout our lives.

The question isn't simply:

“Can my loved one do everything on their own?”

A better question may be:

“What skills, relationships, opportunities and supports will help my loved one build the adult life they want?”

The Conversation From NDSC Is Just Beginning

We loved having the opportunity to connect with families at NDSC and talk about the possibilities that adulthood can hold.

But we don't want that conversation to end in Orlando.

Over the coming weeks, Daymark Living will be taking a closer look at each part of Dr. Molly's Roadmap to Adulthood, including money management, support networks, relationships, emotional skills, living options and what independence can really look like for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

We'll share practical questions families can ask, ideas you can begin working on at home and stories from adults who are navigating these milestones themselves.

Because there isn't one road to adulthood.

But families shouldn't have to navigate it without a roadmap.

Stay tuned as we continue our Roadmap to Adulthood series with Dr. Molly Denny and Daymark Living.

Have questions about preparing a loved one with an intellectual or developmental disability for adulthood? Here are answers to some of the questions families ask most often.

Frequently Asked Questions About Preparing for Adulthood

What skills should an adult with intellectual or developmental disabilities learn?
Important adult life skills can include managing money, completing daily routines, communicating needs, managing emotions, building relationships, making choices and learning when and how to ask for support. The skills each person needs will vary based on their goals, abilities and the level of support that is appropriate for them.

When should families begin preparing a loved one with intellectual disabilities for adulthood?
Preparing for adulthood can begin well before a loved one is ready to leave home. Families can gradually introduce age-appropriate responsibilities, choices, money skills, household routines, problem-solving and opportunities to build relationships and participate in the community.

What does independence look like for an adult with intellectual disabilities?
Independence does not have to mean doing everything without help. For many adults with intellectual disabilities, greater independence means developing skills, making meaningful choices, participating in their community and knowing how to use appropriate support when needed.

What is interdependence for adults with intellectual disabilities?
Interdependence recognizes that a fulfilling adult life can include both independence and support. Dr. Molly Denny describes it as having the skills, supports, relationships and opportunities needed to make choices, contribute with purpose and live a fulfilling life with an appropriate level of support.

What living options are available for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities?
Living options may include remaining in the family home, living independently, living with roommates, supported living arrangements or residential communities. The right option depends on the individual's preferences, daily living skills, social needs, goals and level of support.

How can parents encourage greater independence without taking away needed support?
Parents can encourage independence by creating opportunities to practice skills, make choices, solve problems and take on age-appropriate responsibilities while continuing to provide support when needed. Rather than immediately stepping in, families can consider whether a reminder, prompt or smaller amount of assistance would allow their loved one to participate more independently.