Longitudinal study of factors associated with informal care provision: Evidence from older Australians

To explore the factors associated with informal care provision by older Australians.

Longitudinal cohorts of the Personality and Total Health Through Life project (PATH) were used to build a generalised estimating equation model.

Older adults who are engaged in volunteer and religious activities are 27.6% and 33.8%, respectively, more likely to provide informal care than their counterparts who are not engaged in these activities. Older adults who formerly provided care are four times more likely to have a continued caregiving role than their counterparts who did not formerly provide care. Those in marriage-type relationships are 50.9% more likely, and those with primary responsibility for household and income tasks are respectively 28.0% and 31.0% more likely, to provide care than their counterparts.

Personal values for social responsibility and role responsibility are significant predictors of informal care provision by older Australians.