CULTURE-RELATED TASK DIFFICULTIES AND NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR CAREGIVERS FROM DIVERSE COMMUNITIES

Abstract

The Diverse Elders Coalition, in partnership with its six member organizations and the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, completed a national survey of 840 family and friend caregivers from diverse racial, ethnic, and sexual orientation communities to understand their unique caregiving issues and challenges. Data from a subsample of 404 caregivers identifying as Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Southeast Asian or from multiple ethnicities were examined to determine the relationship between difficulties performing culture-related care tasks (i.e., assisting with immigration issues and language barriers) and a variety of caregiver outcomes. Regression analysis controlling for background and context characteristics showed caregivers experiencing more culture-related task difficulties had significantly higher levels of several negative caregiving consequences, including health strain (B=.19, p=.001), relationship strain (B=.17, p=.005), work strain, (B=.24, p=.000) isolation (B=.17, p=.002), and symptoms of depression (B=.29, p=.000). Moreover, higher levels of strain and depression among caregivers who reported high levels of culture-related task difficulties ranged from 26%-54%. More difficulties with culture-related tasks also were significantly related to dissatisfaction with support resources, including lower ratings of the quality of care receivers’ healthcare (B=-.20, p=.001), and lower satisfaction with support they and their care receivers received from family and friends (B=-.17, p=.006 and B=-.16, p=.011, respectively). Results suggest caregivers from diverse communities struggling with culture-related tasks experience more negative consequences of caregiving and less helpful social support. Service providers working with caregivers from diverse communities should assess for culture-related task difficulties, recognizing these problems may be a window into a variety of adverse caregiving effects.