Who provides care? A prospective study of caregiving among adult siblings

We use data from a longitudinal, within-family study to identify factors that predict which adult siblings assumed caregiving responsibilities to older mothers over a 7-year period.

Data for the study were collected from 139 older mothers at 2 points 7 years apart regarding their expectations and experiences of care from 537 adult children.

Children whom mothers identified at T1 as their expected future caregivers were much more likely to provide care when a serious illness occurred. Caregiving offspring were also more likely at T1 to have shared their mothers' values, lived in proximity, and to be daughters.

The findings indicate the degree to which a mother's expectations for care predict actual caregiving by that child. Practitioners working with older adults should explore parents' expectations for future care that involves their adult children.