Caregiving Intensity, Duration, and Subjective Financial Well-Being Among Rural Informal Caregivers of Older Adults with Chronic Illnesses or Disabilities.

INTRODUCTION

Rural informal caregivers (IC) experience major financial and economic constraints in caring for their older family members. Rurality combined with increased caregiving demands and intensity, poor economic opportunities, and limited financial resources and policies create multiple financial stressors and can lead to poor financial well-being. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to understand how caregiving demands, intensity, and duration impact the subjective financial well-being of rural caregivers of older adults.

METHODS

Informal caregivers (N = 196) residing in 12 rural counties in the central North Region of the Midwestern US participated in the survey. Ordinary Least Squares and Linear Probability Model regressions were conducted to measure the association among the study variables.

RESULTS

Our findings showed a moderate level of subjective financial well-being among informal caregivers (average = 51.62; SD 14.52). Caregiving intensity negatively affected financial well-being (β = -1.470, < 0.05). More than half of informal caregivers (58%) were not satisfied with their household income, and 30% found it difficult to meet their family's needs with their current income status.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Longer hours of care are associated with financial burden and insecurity and can significantly influence the financial health and well-being of rural informal caregivers of older adults. Older caregivers were found to manage their financial constraints more effectively. Future comparative and longitudinal studies with a more diverse sample are required to infer long-term interactions among the different variables in this study.