1
|
Samuel PS, Marsack-Topolewski CN, Janks E, Raoufi G, Milberger S. Family Support of Older Caregivers: Factors Influencing Change in Quality of Life. AMERICAN JOURNAL ON INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES 2024; 129:308-325. [PMID: 38917996 DOI: 10.1352/1944-7558-129.4.308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Understanding factors that can improve the quality of life (QOL) of older caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is important in broadening participation in family empowerment interventions. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing the QOL of older caregivers (50+) of adults with IDD who participated in a peer-mediated state-wide family support project. The research study used a quasi-experimental research design grounded in the family quality of life (FQOL) framework, with pretest and posttest data gathered from 82 caregivers. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted to identify factors influencing changes in the QOL of study participants. Findings indicated that improvements in caregiver QOL after participating in the project could be explained by caregiver's employment status, increased global FQOL, and decreased caregiver stress and depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elizabeth Janks
- Elizabeth Janks, Gelareh Raoufi, and Sharon Milberger, Wayne State University
| | - Gelareh Raoufi
- Elizabeth Janks, Gelareh Raoufi, and Sharon Milberger, Wayne State University
| | - Sharon Milberger
- Elizabeth Janks, Gelareh Raoufi, and Sharon Milberger, Wayne State University
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sumo J, Wilbur J, Julion WA, Schoeny ME, Cummings P. Grandmothers residing with grandchildren: Social determinants of health, health behaviors, and health outcomes. J Women Aging 2023; 35:513-525. [PMID: 36976632 DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2023.2188863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between social determinants of health, health behaviors, and physical and mental health among African American and Hispanic caregiving grandmothers. We use cross-sectional secondary data from the Chicago Community Adult Health Study, originally designed to understand the health of individual households based on residential context. In a multivariate regression model, discrimination, parental stress, and physical health problems were significantly associated with depressive symptoms in caregiving grandmothers. Considering the multiple sources of stress experienced by this grandmother sample, researchers should develop and strengthen contextually relevant interventions for improving the health of caregiving grandmothers. Healthcare providers must be equipped with skills to address caregiving grandmothers' unique needs related to stress. Finally, policy makers should promote the development of legislation that can positively influence caregiving grandmothers and their families. Expanding the lens through which caregiving grandmothers living in minoritized communities are viewed can catalyze meaningful change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jen'nea Sumo
- College of Nursing, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - JoEllen Wilbur
- College of Nursing, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | | | - Peter Cummings
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Milberger S, Marsack-Topolewski C, Janks E, Anderson N, Bray M, Samuel PS. Evaluating the Benefits of a Family Support Program on the Health and Well-Being of Aging Family Caregivers of Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. JOURNAL OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORK 2023; 66:413-432. [PMID: 35950328 DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2022.2110347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Providing care to a family member with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) takes a toll on the health of the caregiver and the family, especially as they age. Research shows that peer mediated family support programs can improve caregiver health and well-being. To date, most family support programs have focused on family caregivers of children and youth with I/DD. The purpose of this study was to examine the benefits of participating in the Michigan Older Caregivers of Emerging Adults with Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (MI-OCEAN) family support program grounded in the Family Quality of Life (FQOL) framework. Specifically, we examined the effect of participation on health care utilization, caregiver well-being, and perceptions of global FQOL for older caregivers of adults with I/DD. Quantitative analysis of data gathered from 82 caregivers (age 50 and older) indicated that study participation was associated with increased use of Medicaid and improved caregiver well-being (reduced burden, stress, depression; increased health satisfaction and FQOL). Future research is needed to examine the long-term impact of the family support programs in improving the health and well-being of older caregivers of adults with I/DD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Milberger
- Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute & Department of Helath Care Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Janks
- Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute & Department of Helath Care Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Nia Anderson
- Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute & Department of Helath Care Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Michael Bray
- Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute & Department of Helath Care Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Preethy S Samuel
- Michigan Developmental Disabilities Institute & Department of Helath Care Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Das Gupta D, Wong DWS. Age-Dependent Differences in Frequent Mental Distress (FMD) of US Older Adults Living in Multigenerational Families versus Living Alone. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3747. [PMID: 36834440 PMCID: PMC9964232 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Frequent mental distress (FMD) is prevalent among older Americans, but less is known about disparities in FMD of older adults living in multigenerational families versus living alone. We pooled cross-sectional data (unweighted, n = 126,144) from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) between 2016 and 2020 and compared FMD (≥14 poor mental health days in the past 30 days = 1; 0 otherwise) of older adults (≥65 years) living in multigenerational families versus living alone in 36 states. After controlling for covariates, findings indicate 23% lower odds of FMD among older adults living in multigenerational households compared to counterparts living alone (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60, 0.99). Findings also show that the reduction in the odds of FMD with each 5 year increase in age was larger among older adults living in multigenerational families by 18% (AOR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.46, 0.70) compared to older adults living alone (AOR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.77), and this difference was significant at the 5% significance level. Multigenerational living may have a protective association with FMD among older adults. Further research is needed to identify multigenerational family and non-kin factors that translate into mental health advantages for older adults.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Debasree Das Gupta
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - David W. S. Wong
- Department of Geography and Geoinformation Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
The Implications of Intergenerational Relationships for Minority Aging: a Review of Recent Literature. CURR EPIDEMIOL REP 2023; 10:44-50. [PMID: 36785762 PMCID: PMC9909158 DOI: 10.1007/s40471-023-00319-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Purpose of Review This study aims to understand how intergenerational relationships impact minority aging in the USA. We reviewed studies published in the last 5 years that examine both familial and non-familial intergenerational relationships. Recent Findings Intergenerational relationships can have positive and negative implications for minority aging. Minority older adults benefit most from these relationships when they increase social interaction and/or offer social support by reducing acculturative stress, providing emotional closeness, or increasing access to tangible resources. At the same time, these relationships can be sources of strain as they lead to burden among already disadvantaged groups. Summary Future studies should explore the impact of intergenerational relations among more diverse subgroups of older adults and identify mechanisms linking intergenerational relationships to health-related outcomes among minority older adults. Further, longitudinal cohort studies and randomized trials are needed to test mechanisms and evaluate the effectiveness of promising intergenerational interventions.
Collapse
|
6
|
Rascón AM, McEwen MM, Slebodnik M. Self-management of chronic disease in Latina Kinship caregivers: an integrative review. J Women Aging 2023; 35:65-80. [PMID: 34821538 DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2021.2007827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In the United States, Latinos experience a higher prevalence of chronic diseases with concomitant complications when compared to Non-Latino Whites. Older Latina women often manage a chronic illness while also providing kinship care. This article presents an integrative review of Latina kinship caregivers' self-management of chronic disease. An extensive review of the literature was conducted in seven databases. Four resulting studies included qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research and suggested health outcomes for Latina kinship caregivers were often worse when compared to other groups. A major gap in the literature identified an absence of disease-specific self-management behaviors for this population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aliria Muñoz Rascón
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Wang F, Marsack-Topolewski CN, DiZazzo-Miller R, Samuel PS. Health of aging families: Comparing compound and noncompound caregivers. JOURNAL OF GERONTOLOGICAL SOCIAL WORK 2022; 65:290-304. [PMID: 34402756 DOI: 10.1080/01634372.2021.1963024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Providing care to a family member with disabilities takes a toll on the health of the caregiver and the family. Among aging caregivers, compound caregiving (i.e., caring for two or more family members) has become an increasingly common scenario. However, few research studies have focused on compound caregivers. Extant literature describes individual-level outcomes, with sparse knowledge on family-level outcomes. The family quality of life framework was used in this study to examine differences in the individual and family health of aging compound and noncompound caregivers. Web-based cross-sectional data collected from 112 aging caregivers (age 50 and older) were analyzed using chi-square and independent sample t-tests to examine differences between caregivers. Compound caregivers had poorer perceptions of personal health than noncompound caregivers. In terms of family health, although all caregivers shared similar perceptions on the importance, opportunities, initiative, and stability, compound caregivers had lower attainment and satisfaction than noncompound caregivers. Multivariate regression analyses indicated that compound caregiving was associated with poorer family health. Personal health was positively associated with family health. Study findings have practice implications for identifying caregivers' multiple responsibilities. It is necessary to develop individual and family level programs focused on health promotion and caregiver training.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Wang
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, United States
| | - Christina N Marsack-Topolewski
- Associate Professor College of Health and Human Services, Eastern Michigan University, School of Social Work, MI-Developmental Disabilities Institute Affiliated Research Associate, United States
| | - Rosanne DiZazzo-Miller
- Associate Professor Department of Health Care Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| | - Preethy S Samuel
- Associate Professor Department of Health Care Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Suarez-Balcazar Y, Viquez F, Miranda D, Early AR. Barriers to and facilitators of community participation among Latinx migrants with disabilities in the United States and Latinx migrant workers in Canada: An ecological analysis. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 48:2773-2788. [PMID: 33016345 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Individuals migrate to improve their wellbeing and quality of life, and often experience adverse situations, both during the process of migration and once within the host country. The purpose of this paper is to unpack the barriers to and facilitators of community participation, among Latinx immigrants with disabilities in the United States and Latinx migrant workers in Canada, following the Social Ecological Model. The authors draw from an appraisal of existing literature and their own participatory research with Latinx immigrants. Based on this integrative literature review, Latinx experience individual issues such as language barriers and lack of knowledge of the services available to them. At the community level they experience discrimination, limited opportunities for community participation, and lack of opportunities for meaningful employment. At the systemic and policy level in the United States, the antimigrant political environment keeps Latinx immigrants with disabilities from participating in their communities due to fear of deportation. In Canada, Latinx workers experience the paradox of migration and discrimination. The discussion of barriers and facilitators is followed by recommendations for community research and action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar
- Department of Occupational Therapy and Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Floryana Viquez
- Department of Psychology, Universite du Quebec a Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Daniela Miranda
- Department of Psychology, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Amy R Early
- UI Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Perceived Caregiver Stress, Coping, and Quality of Life of Older Ugandan Grandparent-Caregivers. J Cross Cult Gerontol 2020; 35:311-328. [PMID: 32566982 DOI: 10.1007/s10823-020-09403-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
With the continued loss of lives due to HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, grandparents bear the stress of caring for children affected by the epidemic, often with very limited resources. Yet, despite the acknowledgement that these older adults serve as the backbone and safety net of the African family in this HIV/AIDS era, very limited research has focused on investigating the specific health outcomes of caregivers in this region and how these changes in health status impact the overall quality of life of caregivers. This study highlights the stress perceived by Ugandan grandparent-caregivers, its impact on their overall quality of life, and the coping strategies they use to manage their stress. Thirty-two grandparent-caregivers (age 50 years and older) were recruited from urban and rural areas in Uganda and individually interviewed in 2016. Using constructivist grounded theory as the qualitative methodology, the narratives generated from the semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using both open and axial coding as well as reflexive and analytic memoing. Descriptions of caregiver stress (physical, emotional, financial, and social) were reported. Additionally, study findings uniquely explore the impact of the perceived stress on the grandparents' overall quality of life. Study findings provide a foundation upon which clinicians, researchers, and policy-makers can design and implement effective interventions to improve the health and quality of life of grandparent-caregivers in sub-Saharan Africa.
Collapse
|
10
|
Matovu S, Dawson-Rose C, Weiss S, Wallhagen M. "Thoughts Can Kill You": Characterization of Mental Health Symptoms by Ugandan Grandparent-Caregivers in the HIV/AIDS Era. Issues Ment Health Nurs 2019; 40:391-398. [PMID: 30917054 PMCID: PMC6555642 DOI: 10.1080/01612840.2018.1553001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Studies of caregiving provided to HIV/AIDS orphans by sub-Saharan African grandparents have found that it has physical, financial, and emotional consequences. Our study extended this research by identifying and characterizing the symptoms experienced by Ugandan grandparent- caregivers, particularly as related to the caregiving role, loss and grief. Grounded theory methodology was used to conduct and analyze audio-recorded, semi-structured interviews with 32 grandparents. Findings revealed a cluster of biopsychosocial distress symptoms, especially anguish (driven by traumatic anxiety and disbelief), depression, and somatic symptoms that were linked primarily to psychological distress. The impact of cultural practices and beliefs on these symptoms was also identified. Results have implications for public health, research, and policy changes needed to alleviate symptoms of biopsychosocial distress among Uganda grandparent-caregivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Schola Matovu
- Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Carol Dawson-Rose
- Department of Community Health Systems, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Sandra Weiss
- Department of Community Health Systems, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Margaret Wallhagen
- Department of Physiological Nursing, School of Nursing, University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|