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Characteristics of older unpaid carers in England: a study of social patterning from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
- Source :
- Age & Ageing; Mar2024, Vol. 53 Issue 3, p1-6, 6p
- Publication Year :
- 2024
-
Abstract
- Background A growing number of older people provide unpaid care, but contemporary research evidence on this group is limited. Aim This study aims to describe the characteristics of older people who provide unpaid care and how these vary by socioeconomic position. Methods Using recent information from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA wave 9, 2019), we analysed cross-sectional data on 1,282 unpaid carers aged ≥50. Data on sociodemographics, health, social wellbeing, care intensity and caregiver–recipient relationships were extracted. Total net non-pension wealth quintiles were used as a relative measure of socioeconomic position. Differences between the poorest and richest wealth quintiles were examined through logistic regression. Findings Most older carers in ELSA were female and looking after another older person. Poor mental and physical health and social isolation were common, and socially patterned. Compared with carers in the middle wealth group, the poorest group were more likely to be living with the person they cared for (odds ratio (OR) 1.56 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03–2.36]) and more likely to experience loneliness (OR 2.29 [95% CI 1.42–3.69]), dependency (i.e. the need for help with activities of daily living) (OR 1.62 [95% CI 1.05–2.51]), chronic pain (OR 1.81 [95% CI 1.23–2.67]), a higher number of diseases (OR 1.75 [95% CI 1.15–2.65]) and fair/poor self-rated health (OR 2.59 [95% CI 1.79–3.76]). The poorest carers were also less likely to have a high quality of life (OR 0.51 [95% CI 0.33–0.80]) or be in work (OR 0.33 [95% CI 0.19–0.59]). Conclusion Our findings suggest that financially disadvantaged unpaid carers (and their households) may have the greatest needs for intervention and support. Focussing resources on this group has potential to address social inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- ELDER care
CROSS-sectional method
HEALTH status indicators
MENTAL health
CHRONIC pain
ENDOWMENTS
RESEARCH funding
SOCIOECONOMIC factors
LOGISTIC regression analysis
EQUALITY
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
LONELINESS
AGE distribution
BURDEN of care
LONGITUDINAL method
ODDS ratio
AGING
PSYCHOLOGY of caregivers
CONFIDENCE intervals
COMPARATIVE studies
PUBLIC welfare
INTERPERSONAL relations
SOCIAL isolation
ACTIVITIES of daily living
COMORBIDITY
OLD age
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00020729
- Volume :
- 53
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Age & Ageing
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 176275797
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae049