Financial resources and gender in older people

Vlachantoni, Athina (2012) Financial resources and gender in older people. Maturitas, 72, 104-107. (doi:10.1016/j.maturitas.2012.02.015).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Informal care provision is an activity in which individuals are increasingly likely to become involved
across their life course, and particularly in later life, as a result of demographic changes such as increasing
longevity and changes in co-residential living arrangements in later life. Academic research so far has
highlighted the adverse impact of informal care provision on the financial position of the carer, however,
the evidence on the impact of informal care provision on the carer’s physical, mental and emotional
health, and on their mortality, presents a more complex picture. This paper reviews research from the
UK and beyond on the provision of informal care and its subsequent impact on health and mortality
outcomes. Two key findings emerge from this review paper. Firstly, the cross-sectional analysis of data
shows mixed associations between informal care provision and poor health outcomes for the carer. Such
research highlights the importance of the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the carer
and the person cared for, and of the specific characteristics and nature of the care provided (e.g. duration, level). Secondly, longitudinal analysis, which typically benefits from a longer timeframe to follow up
the impact of caring, shows that although informal care provision is not per se associated with adverse
health and mortality outcomes, nevertheless particular types and durations of caring have shown negative
outcomes.

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