Combining work and elder caring roles : the positive and negative consequences for women

Abstract

This study commenced with a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with working-age carers, which identified two personal factors, the quality of relationship with the elder and the motivations in elder caring.  As these factors had not been adequately measured in previous research, two new measures were developed and included in a questionnaire survey, which also included measures of work-related, care-related and other factors.  The surveys were distributed to a large number of self-selected female carers working in the NHS, identified from a preliminary screening survey.  Follow-up surveys were distributed after one year.

Personal factors were shown to be the most important predictors of carer outcomes:  poorer relationship quality and higher external perceived pressures to care significantly contributed to higher stress, and better relationship and higher intrinsic motivations to care predicted higher satisfaction with caring.  Other risk factors for stress were high caring involvement at work and co-residence with the elder.  Comparisons of working carers and working non-carers showed that carers were significantly more likely to suffer mental health problems than non-carers (although these findings must be interpreted with caution in view of the self-selected, unrepresentative sample).  There was also some evidence to suggest that women caring at home and at work were more likely to suffer worse mental health than those caring in only one role.  Carer stress, work stress and work demands predicted worse mental health in carers.  Work stress also predicted increase in mental health problems over time.  Better health status of the carer, lower external pressures to care and higher work satisfaction predicted better mental health.  Younger age of the carer and lower work stress also contributed to better mental health over time.

A combination of higher-intensity work and caring roles appear detrimental to carers’ mental health, whereas lower-intensity work and caring roles appear to provide benefits.  The possibility of negative and positive cycles of factors is discussed, as are the wider implications for carers, care-recipients and employers.

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