Older adults’ contribution to informal caregiving: temporal trends, profiles and adverse health consequences

In Sweden, ageing demographics and policy changes in eldercare have led to an increased number of older people living the last part of their life at home. Many of these individuals have complex needs requiring additional support beyond that provided by formal services.

Consequently, a major trend towards the informalisation of social care has taken place since the beginning of the 2000s.

The group of older informal caregivers are at increased risk of vulnerability due to a combination of their own age-related problems, and the physical and psychological difficulties that can accompany the provision of informal care.The present project aims to provide evidence on the magnitude of older people’s contribution to informal caregiving, and to gain knowledge of their particular health needs, through three research lines.

The 1st research line will analyse temporal trends in informal and formal care reception and provision during the last three decades, with a focus on older people as informal care providers.

The 2nd research line will explore the association between caregiving in old age and negative health outcomes, and potential underlying mechanisms.

The 3rd research line will identify older caregivers most susceptible to being negatively affected by caregiving, and the stage when such consequences tend to occur.Based on data from three population-based cohorts (Swedish National study of Aging and Care; Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old; Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe-Sweden) and an ad-hoc nationwide survey, we will map, integrate and track the characteristics of caregivers, care recipients, and care contexts.

The timely implementation of the findings will be supported by the Swedish Family Care Competence Centre (Nka), the scientific leader of which is part of this proposal.

This will be essential to adapt supportive services to the actual needs of older caregivers and prevent their health from being negatively impacted.