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Lookup NU author(s): Claire BamfordORCiD, Dr Barbara Gregson, Dr Deborah Buck, Paul McNamee, Professor John Bond
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The financial, opportunity and social costs and benefits of providing informal support to frail older people are described within an economic framework. Mentally and/or physically frail older people were identified through screeing interviews with random community samples of people aged 65 and over in four UK areas: 884 frail older people living in private households nominated key informal supporters and 650 of these supporters were inverviewed. around half the supporters reported financial costs (43%) or lost social opportunities (45%). A minority of supporters had reduced their working hours or withdrawn from employment because of caregiving. Nearly all supporters reported at least one social cost (92%) and identified at least one positive aspect of caregiving (95%). Co-resident supporters were more likely to report opportunity costs and loss of health and well-being. Daughters supporting a frail parent were generally most likely, and friends or neighbours least likely, to report each type of cost. Supporters of older people who were both mentally and physically frail reported significantly greater opportunity and social costs. The benefits of caregiving were not consistently related to co-residency, relationship of supporter or frailty type. Possible strategies for decreasing the costs and increasing the benefits of caregiving are discussed.
Author(s): Bamford C, Gregson B, Farrow G, Buck D, Dowswell T, McNamee P, Bond J, Wright K
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Ageing and Society
Year: 1998
Volume: 18
Issue: 3
Pages: 317-354
Print publication date: 01/01/1998
ISSN (print): 0144-686X
ISSN (electronic): 1469-1779
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
