Women with Multiple Roles: The Emotional Impact of Caring for Ageing Parents

Abstract

As part of a wider study of family caregiving, a sample of 297 women caring for an ageing parent were identified through a random statewide telephone survey involving over 26,000 households in Victoria, Australia. In addition to elder care, half these women were in paid employment and a third had dependent children. Overload was highest for carers with multiple roles, particularly those of parent or worker. Resentment in the caring role was highest for those who had fewer roles apart from elder care, particularly those who had quit work, and those without a partner. Life satisfaction was higher for partnered and working carers. These findings highlight the need for structures to support carers to maintain multiple roles, including greater flexibility in the workplace and encouragement of greater reliance on informal networks and formal services, both of which require increased societal acknowledgment of the elder care role.

Making Sense of Sibling Responsibility for Family Caregiving

“…The location of caregiving responsibilities varied: some parents lived in their own homes, some lived with the caregivers, and some lived in an assisted living or nursing facility. Though scholars have noted general differences in workload, resentment, and caregiver satisfaction depending on these living arrangements (e.g., Murphy, et al, 1997), it should be noted that all of the caregivers we interviewed self-reported substantial responsibility and time commitment in caregiving, and all of the individuals we interviewed lived in the same community as the parent(s) for whom they provided care. The caregivers we spoke with had been caring for their parents for periods ranging from 2 years to "many" years, although it is difficult to provide an exact range of caregiving experience because the role is often taken on in gradual steps over many months.…”

Why caregivers of people with dementia and memory loss don't use services

“…Interviews were conducted over a three month period, using the Australian Institute of Family Studies' Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) system (Schofield, 1998). It included a measure of life satisfaction derived from Headey andWearing 1981, (quoted in Murphy et al, 1997), caregiver overload (Pearlin et al, 1990), and caring role resentment (Murphy et al, 1997).…”

Spousal dementia caregiving in the context of late-life remarriage

“…Perceptions of support positively affect the health and well-being of the individual (Oxman, Berkman, Kasl, Freeman, & Barrett, 1992), although relationship quality contributes most significantly to health and well-being. While close social ties are the most common source of positive support, they are also a frequent source of frustration, conflict and guilt (Murphy et al, 1997), or ambivalence (Luescher & Pillemer, 1998;Suitor, Pillemer, Keeton, & Robison, 1995).…”