Intensity of care provided by older caregivers and perceived social support

The proportion of older caregivers has increased with longevity, reduction in household size, and the survival of both partners in later life. The daily care provided by older adults can be a lonely and overwhelming task when they do not count on adequate social support. The objective of this work was to analyze the relationship between the intensity of care provided and the social support perceived by older caregivers.

We used cross-sectional data from the Spanish National Health Survey, and selected all the respondents aged 60 years or more who were caregivers of older or chronically ill persons (n: 802). The main variables of analysis were intensity of care provided based on weekly hours of care, and Duke-UNC-11 Functional Social Support Questionnaire (DUFSS). We applied a multivariate logistic regression model to analyze the association between both variables, controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics.

Six out of ten older caregivers spent 20 or more hours per week to caregiving. The multivariate model showed that the likelihood of providing intensive care increases with age and diminishes with higher perceived social support.

The increased caregiving intensity among older caregivers as they age, particularly in those who perceive lower levels of social support, deserve special attention to prevent isolation in old age and ensure adequate protection for both older care providers and their care receivers.