Greenfield Jennifer C, Hasche Leslie, Bell Lauren M, Johnson Heidi
a University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work, Denver, CO, USA.
J Gerontol Soc Work. 2018 Nov-Dec;61(8):849-866. doi: 10.1080/01634372.2018.1487895. Epub 2018 Jun 26.
Informal caregiving is a critical component of the US long-term care system, but can have significant negative impacts on caregiver employment, finances, and well-being. An online survey of Colorado caregivers was piloted in 2016-17 to explore whether workplace and social policies such as access to paid family leave and public health insurance can buffer the negative financial impacts of caregiving and help caregivers to remain in the workforce. Using standardized measures, the survey assessed caregivers' employment and financial status, well-being (physical and mental health, caregiver strain, benefits of caregiving), access to workplace supports, and covariates (e.g., caregiver demographics, health, social support, and service utilization). Ninety-five caregivers, recruited through community agency partners, completed the survey. Respondents were predominately female (89%), middle-aged (M = 57), non-Hispanic White (64%) or Latino/a (22%), and caring for a parent (40%) or spouse (30%) for over one year. Half (51%) reported working full- or part-time jobs, while 16.4% had stopped working because of caregiving. In multivariate regression modeling, predictors of financial strain included the care recipients' financial strain and the caregiver's reduction or ceasing of work. Medicare may be protective to minimize caregivers' need to reduce or cease work. Implications for caregivers' ability to stay engaged in the workforce and prepare for their own retirement are explored.
非正式照护是美国长期照护体系的一个关键组成部分，但可能对照护者的就业、财务状况和幸福感产生重大负面影响。2016 - 2017年对科罗拉多州的照护者进行了一项在线调查，以探讨诸如获得带薪家庭假和公共医疗保险等工作场所及社会政策是否能够缓冲照护带来的负面财务影响，并帮助照护者继续留在劳动力队伍中。该调查使用标准化测量方法，评估了照护者的就业和财务状况、幸福感（身心健康、照护者压力、照护的益处）、获得工作场所支持的情况以及协变量（例如照护者的人口统计学特征、健康状况、社会支持和服务利用情况）。通过社区机构合作伙伴招募了95名照护者完成了该调查。受访者主要为女性（89%），中年（平均年龄M = 57岁），非西班牙裔白人（64%）或拉丁裔（22%），并且正在照护父母（40%）或配偶（30%）超过一年。一半（51%）的受访者报告从事全职或兼职工作，而16.4%的人因照护而停止工作。在多变量回归模型中，财务压力的预测因素包括受照护者的财务压力以及照护者工作的减少或停止。医疗保险可能具有保护作用，可尽量减少照护者减少或停止工作的必要性。文中探讨了这些情况对照护者继续留在劳动力队伍以及为自己的退休生活做准备的能力所产生的影响。
