Two Transitions in Daughters' Caregiving Careers

Abstract

Daughters and daughters-in-law of presently unmarried elders were studied longitudinally, and the data were analyzed to determine how two transitions in caregiving status affected the women of the younger generation. One transition compared noncaregivers who had become caregivers 1 year later ("caregiving entrants," n = 33) with continuing noncaregivers (n = 56) and with veteran continuing caregivers (n = 78) over the same period. The second transition followed Time 1 new caregivers as they became "new veteran" caregivers (n = 69), comparing them with "old veteran" caregivers (n = 189) over the same year. The transition to caregiving was marked by a decrease in the care receiver's competence and an increase in the amount of care received, but caregiving entrants' quality of life did not change significantly over 1 year, as compared with either continuing noncaregivers or veteran caregivers. Although longitudinal study shows little positive evidence for the wear-and-tear model of caregiving, methodological improvements are needed before discarding the hypothesis that caregiving erodes mental health.

Physical and Mental Health Effects of Family Caregiving

“…14,27 A few studies followed samples of noncaregivers until they became caregivers and then compared them with those who didn't take on this role. 16,22,28,29 Both Burton and colleagues and Hirst demonstrated that moving into a demanding caregiving role-providing assistance with basic ADLs for 20 hours or more per week-resulted in increased depression and psychological distress, impaired self-care, and poorer self-reported health. 16,22 A few studies have examined the effects of making the transition out of the caregiving role because the patient improves, enters an institution, or dies.…”

Mediators of the effect of the psycho-educational intervention on the psychological well-being of caregiving daughters and daughter in-laws of stroke survivors

“…In this study revised caregiver appraisal scale [13] was applied to assess caregiver appraisal. There were two types of items.…”

Impacts of Informal Caregiving on Caregiver Employment, Health, and Family

“…In his study, the negative effect on life satisfaction becomes insignificant when individual fixed-effects are taken into account. Lawton et al (2000) also find very little evidence that becoming a caregiver or caring over a long period worsens the caregiver's well-being.…”

“…Perceived social support (+), self-esteem (+), informal care hours (-), and burden (-) have a significant influence on caregivers' mental health Cohen et al (2002) N=289, subsample from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (1996, C) Stepwise regression, caregiving relationship, residency, care receiver, caregiver age, and gender 73% of caregivers perceive at least one positive outcome of caregiving, which positively affects mental and physical health Dujardin et al (2011) Census data from Britain (N=1,361,222) (1991-2000, L) Logit, care intensity, care duration, care location, and relationship Starting or leaving intense caregiving is associated with high psychological distress Lawton et al (2000) N=634, Volunteer female sample (1990-1994, C) MANOVA, comparison of new and veteran caregivers…”