Perceptions of Caregiving: Racial Examinations of Resiliency and Stress

Abstract Adult children are at risk of emotional strain when parental caregiving needs emerge. Pearlin’s Stress Process Model (1990) and caregiver studies suggest minority caregivers report lower subjective caregiving burden, however, few studies simultaneously consider both the stresses and rewards of caregiving. Using data from Wave II of the Family Exchange Study (N = 243), we examine racial differences in midlife adults’ perceptions (i.e., stress and rewards) of assisting their parents with activities of daily living (ADLs) and the associations between perceptions of ADL assistance and emotional well-being among adults who help their parents with ADLs. Compared to non-minority caregivers (M = 4.18, SD = 0.91), minority caregivers (M = 4.45, SD = 0.84) found it more rewarding to help their mother (t(314) = -2.54, p &amp;lt; .05), whereas non-minority caregivers (M = 2.25, SD = .1.27) found it more stressful to help their father than did minority caregivers (M = 1.64, SD = 0.99), t(162) = 3.01, p &amp;lt; .01). After controlling for demographics and ADL needs, linear regression analyses revealed that the stress of helping parents predicted depression (F(6, 189) = 5.30, p &amp;lt; .001) and race moderated the association (p &amp;lt; .01); the association was only significant for minority caregivers (p &amp;lt; .05). Implications will be discussed.</jats:p

The Impact of Caregiving Intensity and Religiosity on Spouse Caregivers’ Health and Mortality in the United States (2004–2014)

Abstract Prior research has indicated that religiosity may buffer against the deleterious effects of caregiving. However, research is lacking in examining the role of religiosity and caregiving intensity in the context of caregiver wellbeing and mortality. Data come from the Health and Retirement Study (2004-2014 waves) and consisted of spousal caregivers and noncaregivers (n= 49,638 person-spells). Pearlin’s Stress Process Model (1990) informed this study to analyze how religiosity impacts caregiver self-rated health and mortality by comparing the intensity of provided care among spousal caregivers and spousal noncaregivers. This study used two indicators to measure religiosity: 1) the importance of religion in life and 2) frequency of attending religious services. Bivariate probit model was used to model the impact of caregiving intensity and religiosity on self-rated health and all-cause mortality. After controlling for sociodemographic and health covariates, results showed that only the importance of religion in life predicted a better self-rated health among high intense spouse caregivers defined by providing &amp;gt;=14 hours of care per week. Findings suggest religiosity may buffer the adverse effect of caregiving stress on health for high intense spousal caregivers. Development and maintenance of religiosity may enhance positive aspects of caregiving and decrease caregiver burden.</jats:p

Loneliness During COVID-19 and Modes of Social Contact Use Among Older Adults

Abstract Due to social distancing and isolation recommendations, COVID-19 resulted in older adults’ greater reliance on technology to contact friends and families. While the mental health of older adults during COVID-19 has been well explored, less is known about how changes in modes and frequency of social contact is associated with loneliness. Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study COVID-19 data, this study assessed how the frequency of varying modes of contact (e.g., phone/email/text, in-person visits, videocalls) during the pandemic was associated with feelings of loneliness during COVID-19 among community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries (n = 2149). Participants were asked if they felt lonely "more often," "less often," or "about the same" compared to before the outbreak started. Multinomial regression analyses indicated that, compared to those who reported daily in-person visits, the odds of having more feelings of loneliness as compared to about the same as pre-COVID-19 was significantly higher among those who reported having in-person visits a few times (OR=2.17,CI=1.08-4.36), at least once (OR=2.37,CI=1.11-5.04), and never/less than once a week (OR=3.37, CI=1.59-7.16) while controlling for demographics, household, and social network size. Compared to daily use, use of phone/email/text at least once (OR=0.44, CI=0.201-0.965) or a few times (OR=0.76,CI=0.58-0.99) a week was associated with lower odds of reporting more feelings of loneliness versus about the same. Results suggest that greater use of technology that promote social engagement improves social connectedness and decreases COVID-19 related loneliness among older adults, and highlights the importance of older adults’ access to technology, including reliable internet.</jats:p

The Impact of Caregiving Intensity and Religiosity on Spousal Caregivers’ Health and Mortality in the US (2004–2014)

Objectives Despite adverse physical and mental health outcomes related to caregiving, family caregivers also experience lower mortality rates compared to noncaregivers. However, research has not yet examined the role of caregiving intensity and religiosity with health and mortality among spousal caregivers. Methods Data include spousal caregivers ( n=5,214 person-wave observations) and noncaregivers ( n=50,311 person-wave observations) from the Health and Retirement Study (2004–2014 waves). Multinomial logistic regression was used to explore how caregiving intensity and religiosity were associated with health and mortality among spousal caregivers, compared health and mortality between caregivers and noncaregiving peers, and examined gender differences in these mechanisms. Results Greater religious salience and attending religious services, although dependent on gender and caregiving intensity, are protective for caregivers’ health and mortality. Discussion Religiosity may buffer adverse effects of caregiving on health and mortality for spousal caregivers. Continuation of prior religiosity may enhance positive aspects of caregiving and decrease caregiver burden. </jats:sec

The Costs of Concern: Health Implications of Worries about Aging Parents and Adult Children

Abstract As their parents age and their children enter adulthood, midlife adults need to manage their worries and concerns about both generations. In midlife, worries about aging parents’ health and emerging needs for support co-occur alongside worries about adult children’s relationships and prolonged need for support. Research reveals links between midlife adults’ worry and sleep quality, underscoring how worries compromise health and well-being. In addition to compromising sleep, worries may also contribute to poor health behaviors, such as emotional eating. Emotional eating, where individuals eat in response to stressors and negative emotions, is a significant risk factor for overeating and obesity. Less is known; however, about how midlife adults’ worries contribute to poor health behaviors. To address this gap, the current study considers how midlife adults’ concurrent and previous day’s daily worries about aging parents and adult children are associated with daily well-being and health behaviors. Respondents are midlife adults (40-60 years) from Wave II of the Family Exchanges Study (Fingerman et al., 2009). During 7 days of daily telephone interviews, respondents indicated if they worried about their adult children and their aging parent(s), if they ate food for comfort, and their daily negative mood. Controlling for demographics, on days when midlife adults worried about their adult child(ren), they reported more negative emotions than on days without these worries (p &amp;lt;.05). Respondents engaged in more eating for comfort the day after they reported worrying about their mother (p &amp;lt; .05). Implications for aging families will be discussed.</jats:p

RACIAL DIFFERENCES IN THE DAILY EXPERIENCES OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND EUROPEAN AMERICANS PROVIDING CARE

Abstract African Americans often report lower caregiver burden, however, few studies consider the broader daily context of African American caregivers’ lives. This study examines racial differences in the associations between providing care for a spouse or parent and daily health and well-being among African Americans and European Americans, including how other daily stressors moderate these associations. During eight days of interviews, respondents aged 34 to 84 years (N = 1,931) from the National Study of Daily Experiences (NSDE II) reported on their daily stressors, negative affect (NA), physical symptoms, and whether or not they provided support to a spouse or parent with a disability. Controlling for demographics, on caregiving days, NA was higher than on non-caregiving days (p &amp;lt; .05) for all respondents. On caregiving days with no work stressors, African Americans only reported more physical symptoms than on caregiving days with work stressors (p &amp;lt; .05). Implications will be discussed.</jats:p

Caregiving Is Driving My Time: Caregiver and Care Recipient Driving Behaviors and Hours of Care

Abstract Informal caregivers often provide transportation assistance as older adult care recipients (CRs) begin regulating their driving (e.g., avoid certain driving situations, decrease/cease driving). This study examined how caregiver and CR driving frequency and CR’s driving avoidance behaviors impact caregiving intensity. Using data from Round 7 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study and the linked National Survey of Caregiving (n=1048 dyads), results indicated that caregiving intensity was highest among caregivers who drove everyday (5.38 hours) and for CRs who had not driven in the last month/did not drive (4.65 hours). Negative binomial regression techniques were used to assess and compare driving-related predictors. Compared to CRs who reported no avoidance of nighttime driving, caregivers of CRs who do not drive at all can expect to provide about 36% more hours of caregiving per day. Caregiving intensity was not significantly related to CR’s driving alone, on the highway, or in bad weather avoidance behaviors. CRs who drove every day, most days, and rarely required between 33% and 40% fewer expected hours per day of caregiving compared to CRs who had not driven in the past month. The expected number of hours spent providing care per day was 36% higher among caregivers who drove the care recipient every day, 28% higher among most-day drivers, and 30% higher among those who never drove as opposed to caregivers who drove some days per week. Results suggest that caregiving intensity is related more to caregiver and CR driving frequency than CR driving avoidance behaviors.</jats:p

HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL ROLES AND ROLE TRANSITIONS IN MIDLIFE AND LATER LIFE

Abstract Demographic and social trends shape the timing, nature, and implications of social roles and transitions. With increased life expectancy and a changing world, expectations for work and retirement and the need for informal and formal caregiving continue to evolve. Families are also more heterogeneous and the population is becoming increasingly more racially/ethnically diverse. These changes underscore the need for research that focuses on the varied social roles individuals occupy in midlife and later adulthood and the implications of these roles for health and well-being. The current symposium features research that explores multiple roles, including romantic partner, grandparent, and employee/retiree, caregiver/care recipient while attending to individual differences in how these roles and transitions are associated with physical and mental health outcomes. Garcia, Donnelly, and Umberson utilize dyadic diary data from midlife men and women in gay, lesbian, and heterosexual marriages to consider how exposure and reactivity to daily stress varies across union types. Rickenbach and colleagues examine longitudinal changes in health and well-being associated with being a caregiving and non-caregiving grandparent. Cichy and Koumoutzis examine racial differences in the associations between providing care to a spouse/parent and daily health and well-being among African Americans and European Americans. Savla, Roberto, and Sands classify community-living older adults based on their care needs while considering the type of care they receive, predictors of this care, and its implications for care recipients’ health. Finally, Stawski and colleagues examine how mental, physical, and cognitive health change as a function of the transition to and through retirement.</jats:p