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Older adults’ networks and public care receipt: do partners and adult children substitute for unskilled public care?
- Authors:
- SCHENK Niels, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 34(10), 2014, pp.1711-1729.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This study investigates how (a) the reliance on public care and (b) the type of public care received by older people in the Netherlands depends on the availability of partners and adult children. Older people aged 65 years and older were surveyed in the Netherlands Kinship Panel Study at two time-points. Survey results were linked to registry data on public care receipt at the two time-points. Multilevel models revealed that receiving frequent help in the household from children was not associated with public care receipt. Only men having a partner were less likely to receive public care. Further analyses comparing the receipt of skilled and unskilled forms of public care revealed that female partners are especially important in rendering unskilled care unnecessary compared to skilled care. Two arguments may explain the findings. One is that a gender-bias exists in processing public care requests – men are perceived as less able to provide care to their female partners. Another is that men lack the skills, or perceive themselves as lacking the care skills that female partners have. Caution is advised against introducing policy measures that increase pressure on female partners. (Edited publisher abstract)
Issues with the measurement of informal care in social surveys: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
- Authors:
- RUTHERFORD Alasdair C., BU Feifei
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 38(12), 2018, pp.2541-2559.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Informal care plays a significant role in the care system for older people in the United Kingdom, and this is projected to increase considerably in the next three decades as the population ages. Understanding these trends requires a good quality measurement of informal care. In this study, the authors compare care-givers’ responses to different informal care questions from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) to investigate the influence of question design on the self-reporting of informal care. They also analyse spousal care dyads in order to model discrepancies in the reporting of care provision between spouses to provide an insight into the reliability of informal care measurements. The authors find that the most common measures used are likely to be under-estimating both the scale and scope of informal care, and they recommend careful consideration of the content of informal care survey questions in order to operationalise the measures of informal care activities. (Edited publisher abstract)
General and proximal associations between unpaid eldercare, time constraints and subjective well-being
- Authors:
- LAM Jack, GARCIA-ROMAN Joan
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Care and Caring, 1(1), 2017, pp.83-96.
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
Population ageing requires understanding the implications of eldercare. Using American Time Use Surveys, the authors find that caregivers spend less time on personal care and social activities/sports, and more time on housework, than individuals who do not provide any eldercare. They also report higher stress and lower happiness. In addition, caregivers may not provide care every day, but on days when they do, they also spend more time on housework and less on paid work, and report higher levels of sadness than on days when they do not provide care. Regular caregivers experience worse wellbeing than non-caregivers, but also experience additional strain on days when they provide care. (Edited publisher abstract)
Ageing societies: challenges and opportunities: evidence from the BUPA health pulse 2010 international healthcare survey
- Authors:
- FERNANDEZ Jose-Luis, FORDER Julien
- Publisher:
- Bupa
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 27p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This report presents the findings of the Bupa Health Pulse 2010 international healthcare survey around the theme of 'ageing societies'. It summarises some of the most important evidence about the ageing process across the world, and discusses some of the key policy challenges that ageing presents, looking particularly at the capacity for societies to provide high quality support for their older people in the future. The study surveyed 12,262 people across 12 countries (Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain, UK, USA), but the patterns described are common to a much larger number of countries. The report is structured around 3 parts. The first examines the question of the ageing process in different societies and what it means in terms of: increases in the older population; changes in the balance between young and old; and increases in the number of people with health problems and in the level of demand for care services. The second part examines the support system required to look after older people in need of care including: the sharing of caring and funding responsibilities between the state and private individuals; the need to ensure that resources are in place to look after the growing number of older people; and the levels of support provided to older people in need. The last section summarises the key policy implications.
Minding the money: a growing responsibility for informal carers
- Authors:
- TILSE Cheryl, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 25(2), March 2005, pp.215-227.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Managing the assets of older people is a common and potentially complex task of informal care with legal, financial, cultural, political and family dimensions. Older people are increasingly recognised as having significant assets, but the family, the state, service providers and the market have competing interests in their use. Increased policy interest in self-provision and user-charges for services underline the importance of asset management in protecting the current and future health, care and accommodation choices of older people. Although ‘minding the money’ has generally been included as an informal care-giving task, there is limited recognition of either its growing importance and complexity or of care-givers' involvement. The focus of both policy and practice have been primarily on substitute decision-making and abuse. This paper reports an Australian national survey and semi-structured interviews that have explored the prevalence of non-professional involvement in asset management. The findings reveal the nature and extent of involvement, the tasks that informal carers take on, the management processes that they use, and that ‘minding the money’ is a common informal care task and mostly undertaken in the private sphere using some risky practices. Assisting informal care-givers with asset management and protecting older people from financial risks and abuse require various strategic policy and practice responses that extend beyond substitute decision-making legislation. Policies and programmes are required: to increase the awareness of the tasks, tensions and practices surrounding asset management; to improve the financial literacy of older people, their informal care-givers and service providers; to ensure access to information, advice and support services; and to develop better accountability practices.
Support for carers of older people: independence and well-being 5
- Author:
- AUDIT COMMISSION
- Publisher:
- Audit Commission
- Publication year:
- 2004
- Pagination:
- 71p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This study looked at the extent to which carers’ expectations are being realised. It has involved consultations with a range of national organisations, including Carers UK and the King’s Fund, about issues currently facing carers and current policy developments. It went on to look at the support and services for carers of older people in six different areas of England, covered by county councils, unitary authorities and inner and outer London boroughs. Carers could expect primary care staff to identify them as carers and make suitable reference in their notes (and that of the person they care for), saying that they are a ‘carer’. They should also expect councils to identify them as carers when a referral has been made to them, from whatever source. They should be able to expect clear, concise, relevant information about their rights and the benefits and support they can get, without asking for it, or at the very least, to be able to find it without looking too hard – from both local and national sources. With the introduction of the Carers Grant, they would be provided with breaks. Carers who are working or who want to return to work should expect to receive some help. Carers should expect that any assessments of the person they care for would be done in consultation with them as the carer. They should then be offered an assessment of their needs on top of this. As a result, they could expect to ‘become real partners in the provision of care to the person they are looking after…’ as the national strategy clearly sets out. As partners, carers should be able to expect that they are not only included in consultations with social services whenever any contact is made with the person they care for, but in consultations at the hospital discharge process and at the GP practice – provided the person they care for has given permission.
Resiliency in family caregivers: implications for social work practice
- Authors:
- ROSS Lynn, HOLLIMAN Diane, DIXON Danny R.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 40(3), 2003, pp.81-96.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
A brief survey instrument (the Caregiver Resilience Instrument) was administered to informal caregivers (N = 23) in a rural area in southeast America. These caregivers had been identified as being 'resilient,' in that they had discovered methods of dealing successfully with the demands of caregiving for a person with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. Findings from this survey revealed common themes, ranging from identification of the most difficult aspects of caregiving to the benefits of caregiving, as well as ways these caregivers manage stress. Implications for social work practice with informal caregivers are presented in some detail. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
P.S. I love you: long-distance caregiving
- Authors:
- KOERIN Beverly A., HARRIGAN Marcia P.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 40(1/2), 2002, pp.1-13.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Family caregiving plays an important role in our health care delivery system, especially for the frail elderly. Despite a substantial literature on caregiving, there is little research on long-distance caregivers, a population expected to double in the next decade. This paper reports a secondary analysis of data from the 1997 NAC/AARP national survey and focuses on long-distance caregivers. Findings include caregiver and care receiver characteristics, patterns of caregiving, and impacts on caregivers. The data are compared to previous national studies on caregiving and implications for practice and further research are considered. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street Binghamton, NY 13904-1580)
Responding to dementia in East Asia: developments in Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea
- Author:
- INEICHEN B.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 2(4), November 1998, pp.279-285.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Countries of the Far East share a number of features in their response to the problem of dementia among the elderly. Research in Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea finds a very rapid rate of growth in their elderly populations, with corresponding rises in the number of dementia sufferers. Official responses have been rather slow, due to the long-standing belief that families would provide care. Demographic and sociological trends - longer life span, smaller families, urbanisation, the growing opportunity for paid work (especially for women) - have contributed to the decline of filial piety. All these processes are more advanced in the cities. Reports that rural elderly people suffering from dementia may be especially vulnerable to isolation, and in need of non-familial sources of help.
Community care and elderly people: policy, practice and research review
- Author:
- HENWOOD Melanie
- Publisher:
- Family Policy Studies Centre
- Publication year:
- 1990
- Pagination:
- 47p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Looks at the demand for community care; the evolution of community care policies (including the DHSS Care in the Community Projects, and innovations currently being developed.