The Nature of Elder Impairment and its Impact on Family Caregivers' Health and Psychosocial Functioning

Abstract

This study assessed the nature of elder impairment and its impact on the health and psychosocial functioning of family caregivers. All caregivers were daughters or daughters-in-law living with an elderly parent. Contrary to expectations and previous research, no differences were revealed among caregivers of cognitively impaired, functionally impaired, and nonimpaired elderly relatives in terms of self-reported health or psychosocial functioning. Thus, other aspects of the caregiving context, such as familial generation, gender, and living arrangement, may affect caregiver health and psychosocial functioning more than the nature of the elder's impairment.

Effects of Caregiving on Employment and Economic Costs of Chinese Family Caregivers in Canada

“…The psychological, social, and health consequences experienced by family members providing care to elderly relatives have been well documented (Biegel et al 1991;Cattanach and Tebes 1991;Hinrichsen et al 1992;Kinney and Stephens 1989;McCallion et al 1994). Among the psychological consequences of caregiving for seniors, depression was most commonly observed (Baumgarten et al 1994;Canadian Study of Health and Aging Working Group 1994;Chappell and Penning 1996;Cohen and Eisdorfer 1988;Gallagher et al 1989;Livingston et al 1996;Morris et al 1988;Parker 1990;Schulz et al 1990).…”

The Sandwich Generation: Challenges and Coping Strategies of Multigenerational Families

“…Gender differences in caregiving for elderly parents was also emphasized by Gorin (2002), who pointed out that according to the Older Women's League (OWL), 75% of caregivers for older adults are women and the typical caregiver is a sandwich-generation female who is caring for aging parents and children and, in some instances, grandchildren (OWL, 2001, as cited in Gorin, 2002. Stone (1991, as cited in Nichols & Junk, 1997 stated that "women's roles as caregivers remain entrenched in the expectations of society and individual families. Care giving tasks are perceived as the responsibility of the female and not a shared activity" (p. 306).…”

Cancer and caregiving: the impact on the caregiver's health

“…Studies among the frail elderly have consistently shown that, as the level of functional and mental impairment of the care receiver increases, so does the amount of assistance provided by the caregiver (Horowitz, 1985). However, the majority of studies demonstrated that neither severity of patient impairment, nor type of illness, patient's symptoms, nor duration of caregiving are significantly related to negative effects on the caregiver's health (Stetz, 1987;Cattanach and Tebes, 1991;Wright et al, 1993). For example, in the study of Gilhooly (1984) among persons caring for a demented relative, it was found that (1) level of patient's impairment was not associated with the caregiver's health and (2) the longer the duration of caregiving, the better the caregiver's health.…”