Skip to main content

Socioeconomic Status and Caregiving

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
The Sociology of Caregiving

Part of the book series: Clinical Sociology: Research and Practice ((CSRP))

  • 1343 Accesses

Abstract

The population percentage of persons age 65 and older and persons 85 and older have increased significantly in recent decades. At the same time marriage and childbearing have been delayed, families have become smaller, often geographically dispersed, and the women’s labor force has greatly increased. These social patterns foretell an impending shortage of a caregiving workforce. Yet a pattern of familism by default appears to have emerged as the de facto system of care for the chronically ill and for those elders who require care. However, many middle and lower income families cannot afford the supportive services that let elders age at home and avoid more costly institutional care. Families with wealth and assets will be able to control the context of caregiving within their families and respond to needs as they arise. At issue is care for those of middle, working, and lower class status. The U.S. lacks a comprehensive long-term public policy for people who are chronically ill, frail, or disabled.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Administration on Aging Administration for Community Living US Department of Health and Human Services Profile of Older Americans: 2012. Administration on Aging, Administration for Community Living, & U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2012). A Profile of Older Americans: 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Al Hazzouri, A. Z., Haan, M. N., Kalbfleisch, J. D., Galea, S., Lisabeth, L. D., & Aiello, A. E. (2011). Life course socioeconomic position and incidence of dementia and cognitive impairment without dementia in older Mexican Americans: Results from the Sacramento area Latino study on aging. American Journal of Epidemiology, 173(10), 1148–1158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barnes, C. L., Given, B. A., & Given, C. W. (1995). Parent caregivers: A comparison of employed and not employed daughters. Social Work, 40(3), 375–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basu, R. (2013). Education and dementia risk: Results from the aging demographics and memory study. Research on Aging, 35(1), 7–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bookman, A., & Kimbrel, D. (2011). Families and elder care in the Twenty-First Century. The Future of Children, 21(2), 117–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flaskerud, J. H., & Lee, P. (2001). Vulnerability to health problems in female informal caregivers of persons with HIV/AIDS and age-related dementias. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 33(1), 60–68.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrow, B. S., Mahoney, D. F., Mendelsohn, A. B., Ory, M. G., Coon, D. W., Belle, S. H., & Nichols, L. O. (2004). Variation in the cost of informal caregiving and formal service use for people with Alzheimer’s disease. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 19(5), 299–308.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • House, J. S., Lepkowski, J. M., Kinney, A. M., Mero, R. P., Kessler, R. C., & Herzog, A. R. (1994). The social stratification of aging and health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 34(3), 213–234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahn, J., & Pearlin, L. I. (2006). Financial strain over the life course and health among older adults. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 47(1), 17–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kneipp, S. M., Castleman, J. B., & Gailor, N. (2004). Informal caregiving burden: An overlooked aspect of the lives and health of women transitioning from welfare to employment. Public Health Nursing, 21(1), 24–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knickman, J. R., Hunt, K. A., Snell, E. K., Alecxlh, L. M., & Kennell, D. L. (2003). Wealth patterns among elderly Americans: Implications for health care affordability. Health Affairs, 22(3), 168–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lahaie, C., Earle, A., & Heymann, J. (2012). An uneven burden: Social disparities in adult caregiving responsibilities, working conditions, and caregiver outcomes. Research on Aging, 35(3), 243–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levine, C., Albert, S. M., Hokenstad, A., Halper, D. E., Hart, A. Y., & Gould, D. A. (2006). “This case is closed”: Family caregivers and the termination of home health care services for stroke patients. The Milbank Quarterly, 84(2), 305–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luo, Y., Xu, J., Granberg, E., & Wentworth, W. M. (2012). A longitudinal study of social status, perceived discrimination, and physical and emotional health among older adults. Research on Aging, 34(3), 275–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marks, N. F., Lambert, J. D., Jun, H., & Song, J. (2008). Psychosocial moderators of the effects of transitioning into filial caregiving on mental and physical health. Research on Aging, 30(8), 358–389.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Alliance for Caregiving, & AARP. (2009). Caregiving in the U.S. 2009. MetLife Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pavalko, E. K., & Woodbury, S. (2000). Social roles as process: Caregiving careers and women’s health. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 41(2), 91–105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pearlin, L. I., Schieman, S., Fazio, E. M., & Meersman, S. C. (2005). Stress, health, and the life course: Some conceptual perspectives. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 46(2), 205–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, K. M. (1997). Family caregiving: Who provides the care, and at what cost? Nursing Economics, 15(5), 243–247.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robison, J. R., Fortinsky, R., Kleppinger, A., Shugrue, N., & Porter, M. (2009). A broader view of family caregiving: Effects of caregiving and caregiver conditions on depressive symptoms, health, work, and social isolation. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 64B(6), 788–798.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saraceno, C. (2010). Social inequalities in facing old-age dependency: A bi-generational perspective. Journal of European Social Policy, 20(1), 32–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schulz, R., & Sherwood, P. R. (2008). Physical and mental health effects of family caregiving. Journal of Social Work Education, 44(3), 105–113.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Szinovacz, M. E., & Davey, A. (2007). Changes in adult caregiver networks. The Gerontologist, 47(3), 280–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • U.S. Census Bureau. (November 2011). Current Population Survey, Annual Social and Economic Supplement.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wakabayashi, C., & Donato, K. M. (2005). The consequences of caregiving: Effects on women’s employment and earnings. Population Research and Policy Review, 24, 467–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wakabayashi, C., & Donato, K. M. (2006). Does caregiving increase poverty among women in later life? Evidence from the Health and Retirement Survey. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 47(3), 258–274.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, A. M., Forbes, D. A., Mitchell, J., Essar, M., & Corbett, B. (2003). The influence of income on the experience of informal caregiving: Policy implications. Health Care for Women International, 24, 280–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John G. Bruhn .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bruhn, J., Rebach, H. (2014). Socioeconomic Status and Caregiving. In: The Sociology of Caregiving. Clinical Sociology: Research and Practice. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8857-1_7

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics