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. 2017 Jan;21(1):104-112.
doi: 10.1080/13607863.2015.1088510. Epub 2015 Sep 24.

Informal caregiving transitions, subjective well-being and depressed mood: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Snorri Bjorn Rafnsson  1 , Aparna Shankar  1 , Andrew Steptoe  1
Affiliations

Informal caregiving transitions, subjective well-being and depressed mood: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Snorri Bjorn Rafnsson et al. Aging Ment Health. 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Objectives: To prospectively investigate the impact of transitions in informal caregiving on emotional well-being over two years in a large population study of older people.

Methods: Information on provision of unpaid care in 2004/2005 and 2006/2007 was available for 6571 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Three well-being domains were also assessed on each occasion: life satisfaction (measured with the Satisfaction with Life Scale); quality of life (assessed with the CASP-19 scale); and depression symptoms (measured using the Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale). Multivariable analyses of the impact on well-being of two-year caregiving transitions (caregiving entry and caregiving exit, or continued caring) were conducted separately for spousal/child carers and carers of other family/non-relatives.

Results: Compared to non-caregiving, entry into spousal/child caregiving was associated with decline in quality of life (B = -1.60, p < .01) whereas entry into caregiving involving other kin relations increased life satisfaction (B = 1.02, p < .01) and lowered depression symptoms (B = -0.26, p < .05). Contrary to expectations, caregiving exit was related to increased depression in both spousal/child (B = 0.44, p < .01) and non-spousal/child (B = 0.25, p < .05) carers. Continued spousal/child caregiving was also related to decline in quality of life (B = -1.24, p < .05). Other associations were suggestive but non-significant.

Conclusion: The emotional impact of different caregiving transitions in later life differs across kin relationships; notably, spousal and child carers' well-being was consistently compromised at every stage of their caregiving career over the two-year study period.

Keywords: English Longitudinal Study of Ageing; caregivers; depression; older people; quality of life.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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