Male Spousal Caregivers Are Increasing, but Only in Less Demanding Care Roles

To determine if there are gender differences in trends in spousal caregiving among older adults.

While some evidence suggests that men are increasingly adopting caregiving roles, this trend has yet to be demonstrated in population-representative data, and little is known about the types of caregiving tasks men are providing.

Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (2002-2018), we investigate trends in the prevalence of spousal caregiving among both men and women. We also analyze subcategories of caregiving, including primary versus secondary caregiving, activities of daily living versus instrumental activities of daily living, and high-intensity versus low-intensity care.

While we observe no change in spousal caregiving rates among women over time, the prevalence of male spousal caregivers rose from approximately 6% to 11% between 2002 and 2018. However, this increase is mostly reflected in secondary, instrumental, and low-intensity caregiving roles. The characteristics of male spousal caregivers have also shifted, with growing representation among Hispanic individuals, younger cohorts, highly educated men, those who are less depressed, more affluent, and those caring for older spouses.

The number of male spousal caregivers has been increasing, but significant gender disparities persist, particularly in primary caregiving, activities of daily living, and intensive caregiving roles.