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Caregiving Networks in Later Life: Does Cognitive Status Make a Difference?*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Laurel A. Strain  and
Audrey A. Blandford
Laurel A. Strain
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
Audrey A. Blandford*
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à : Audrey A. Blandford, Centre on Aging, 338 Isbister Building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2. (audrey_blandford@umanitoba.ca)
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Abstract

This study examines the caregiving networks of older adults, with particular emphasis on differences according to cognitive status (n = 303). Individuals with cognitive impairment were significantly more likely than those who were cognitively intact to receive assistance with personal care, linking with the outside world, and mobility. The types of network were generally similar for care receivers with cognitive impairment and those who were cognitively intact, although the percentage of networks comprised solely of the identified caregiver varied depending on the tasks. Coresidence of the caregiver and care receiver was more important than the care receiver's cognitive status for exclusive care by the identified caregiver. Having more ADL/IADL limitations was associated with a reliance on a network of the identified caregiver, in conjunction with other caregivers in several task areas. The findings highlight the complexity of sources of help in later life and the need for future research to consider the caregiving network as a whole.

Résumé

L'étude examine les réseaux de soins des personnes âgées, surtout en relation du statut cognitif (n = 303). Les personnes souffrant de diminution cognitive avaient une meilleure chance de recevoir de l'aide avec les soins personnels, les liens au monde extérieur et la mobilité que celles qui ont un statut cognitif intact. En général, les genres de réseaux sont les mêmes et pour les receveurs de soins ayant une diminution cognitive et pour ceux ayant un statut cognitif intact. Toutefois, le pourcentage des réseaux contenant seulement le soignant identifié peut varier compte tenu des tâches. Quant aux soins exclusifs du soignant identifié, la co-résidence du soignant et du receveur d'aide semble avoir une signification plus importante que le statut cognitif du receveur. Le fait d'avoir davantage de restrictions sur les activités de la vie quotidienne (AVQ) et des activités instrumentales de la vie quotidienne (AIVQ). était associé à une dépendance sur le réseau du soignant identifié concurremment avec d'autres soignants à périmètres de tâches multiples. Les résultats démontrent la complexité des sources d'aide disponibles au cours de la vie avancée et du besoin de recherches avancées afin d'étudier en entier le réseau des soins.

Keywords

agingcaregiverssupport networksinformal careformal carecognitive statuscaregivingvieillissementsoignantsréseau d'aidesoins non-professionnelssoins professionnelsstatut cognitifsoins
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 22 , Issue 3 , Fall/Automne 2003 , pp. 261 - 273
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2003

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Footnotes

*

The Manitoba Study of Health and Aging (MSHA) was funded primarily by Manitoba Health, with additional funding provided, through the Canadian Study of Health and Aging, by the Seniors Independence Research Program of the National Health Research and Development Program of Health Canada (Project No. 6606–3954-MC[S]). The results and conclusions are those of the authors and no official endorsement by Manitoba Health is intended or should be inferred. The contributions of MSHA Research Group members at the University of Manitoba's Centre on Aging are gratefully acknowledged.

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