I’m the Only Son She Got Left: Male Caregivers’ Experiences Managing Older Adults’ Post-Acute Care

Family caregivers (FCGs) play an integral role supporting older adults transitioning to post-acute care following a hospitalization. FCGs function as advocates, information agents, and most importantly, care managers and providers. Although, caregiving has been traditionally seen as a female role, men are increasingly undertaking these roles and responsibilities. This research addresses a gap in the existing literature by exploring the subjective experiences of male FCGs of older adults in the post-acute setting. Using data from two parent qualitative studies on caregiving in the post-acute setting (N=40), we conducted a qualitative secondary analysis using conventional content analysis of male caregiver participants’ interview data (n=11). Interviews explored the subjective experiences of male caregivers’ interactions with home health care supportive personnel and conducting medical/nursing tasks for older adults. Five themes emerged: areas of abandonment, financial needs, masculinity, organization of care, and preparation. These themes highlighted areas of both confidence and struggle for male FCGs and captured their unique experiences managing the care of an older adult in the post-acute setting. Furthermore, the themes illustrate male FCGs’ feelings of guilt, financial impact, work disruptions, and the perceived effect of masculinity on their caregiving role. Findings can inform clinicians’ provision of focused and tailored resources to meet the specific needs of male FCGs. Future research should explore the evolving experiences of male FCGs over time, particularly those FCGs of older adults with chronic illnesses.

Caregiver Challenges of Older University Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has created numerous challenges for older employees who are also caregivers. Some challenges are associated with disruptions in community-based support services leading to the intensification of caregiver responsibilities. Other challenges are related to caregivers’ concerns about their health or the risk of bringing the virus to the care recipient. This study investigated the impacts of those challenges on older (age 55+) working caregivers, from a major university, with a sample that included 57 male and 80 female caregivers. The investigation explored the association of gender and perception of COVID risk, vulnerability, loneliness, resilience, and interpersonal change. Although literature suggests that female caregivers report more risk-perception, stress, and overburden than male caregivers, our findings showed no significant differences based on gender. These findings suggest the importance of understanding that both male and female older working caregivers have been affected by stress and overburden due to the recent pandemic.

The Other Caregivers: Informal Non-Spousal Male Caregivers for Persons With Dementia

Informal caregivers for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) have become an integral part of the long-term health care system. They are relied on to provided day-to-day care that is challenging, complex, and often spans several years. Most of the research on informal caregivers for persons with ADRD have focused on spousal caregiving, mother-daughter dyads, and daughters. There is sparse literature on informal non-spousal male caregivers for persons with ADRD. The objective of this research was to obtain an understanding of the experiences of informal non-spousal male caregivers for persons with ADRD. This descriptive qualitative pilot study consisted of in-depth one-on-one interviews with three informal non-spousal male caregivers for persons with ADRD. Four themes emerged through data analysis: 1) the male perspective and experience of caregiving, 2) relationship dynamics, 3) caregiving challenges, and 4) finding meaning within caregiving. Conclusion: Similar to other caregivers, informal non-spousal male caregivers assisted with transportation, managing medical appointments, as well as bathing and personal care. Differences with other caregivers, specifically female caregivers, emerged in terms of descriptions of traditional versus non-traditional gender roles. The implications of this study are that public policies, support services and medical professionals need to understand and be able to address the different experiences and needs of informal non-spousal male caregivers.

Prevalence of Binge Drinking by Caregivers of Persons with Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia

Some caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD) are known to be under high levels of burden, which is associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. Previous research has established anxiety, depression, and stress are associated with binge drinking, but little research has examined binge drinking rates among ADRD caregivers. Binge drinking could influence the ability of ADRD caregivers to provide care. The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence and prevalence correlates of binge drinking among ADRD caregivers using the 2019 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS). We identified N = 1,642 persons who were the primary informal caregivers of a person with ADRD. Among them, the prevalence of binge drinking was 14 per 100 persons. Bivariable analyses suggested male caregivers and caregivers with 14 or more days of poor mental health in the past 30 days had the highest prevalence of binge drinking at 18 per 100 persons. Caregivers who were 65 or older or had the lowest prevalence at 3 per 100 persons. Caregiving characteristics revealed providing 20 to 39 hours of care per week had the highest prevalence of binge drinking (17 per 100) whereas spousal caregivers (9 per 100) had the lowest prevalence. Smoking status and hours per week providing care were associated with higher odds of binge drinking in multivariable analyses. Future research should examine if binge drinking by ADRD caregivers is related caregiver burden and the quality of care provided to the persons with ADRD.

Foundation phase teachers’ views of the involvement of male caregivers in young children’s education

Background: Studies in South Africa show a high prevalence of male caregiver absence in the lives of children under the age of 9 years. In this respect, foundation phase teachers are well positioned to provide input and shed light on how schools can contribute towards improving male caregiver involvement in their children’s early education.Aim: This study aimed to explore foundation phase teachers’ views of the involvement of male caregivers in the education and development of young children.Setting: The paper reports on the qualitative phase of a mixed methods study conducted in three township schools near Johannesburg.Methods: Focus group interviews involving a sample of 17 foundation phase teachers were conducted in three schools. An iterative coding process within a generic qualitative data analysis approach was carried out to articulate overarching ideas and themes.Results: The results highlight how teachers’ taken-for-granted gendered assumptions about the roles of females and males in the education and development of foundation phase children and about the children’s care arrangements influence how they communicate with parents, unconsciously alienating male caregivers.Conclusion: Although teachers had not considered the role of male caregivers in the early years of children’s education, they acknowledged that such an undertaking would be beneficial to the learners and the school. Therefore, the authors argue for training aimed at capacitating foundation phase teachers with the essential competencies necessary to galvanise and increase meaningful involvement of male caregivers in the education of learners in pre-service and in-service teacher professional development.

“Cinderella Men”: Husband- and Son- Caregivers for Elders with Dementia in Shanghai

Traditionally, women had the day-to-day responsibility for eldercare. However, social changes have created alternatives for men to take on what is generally considered a “female duty.” Particularly, as the prevalence of dementia has increased in China, men are increasingly becoming the primary caregivers for their kin. Yet, we have limited understanding of male caregiving. Based on twenty months’ ethnographic study of 60 men taking care of a relative with dementia, this paper examines motivations, practices, struggles and strategies of male caregivers. While acknowledging the gendered nature of caregiving, I argue that eldercare goes beyond solely social construction of gender roles and power asymmetries between males and females. Men—both husbands and sons—who engage in caregiving are motivated by love, affection, moral obligation, reciprocity based on past assistance, and property inheritance. Male caregivers’ care practices and their responses toward challenges vary from case to case, yet, these differences have less association with gender identity but more with cohort variations. The expanding home roles of male caregivers call attention to the social transformation of gendered care practices in China and beyond.

The COVID-19 Family Stressor Scale: Validation and Measurement Invariance in Female and Male Caregivers

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised significant concerns regarding the effect of social disruptions on parental mental health, family well-being, and children's adjustment. Due to the pace of the pandemic, measures of pandemic-related disruption have not been subject to rigorous empirical validation. To address this gap, a multi-national sample (United Kingdom, 76%; United States, 19%; Canada, 4%, and Australia, 1%) of 372 female caregivers and 158 male caregivers of 5–18-year-old children was recruited online. Participants completed a survey including a 25-item scale indexing disruption in finances, basic needs, personal and family welfare, career/education, household responsibilities, and family relationships related to the pandemic. An exploratory factor analysis yielded an optimal three-factor solution: factors included Income Stress (five items related to income, debt, and job loss; loadings ranged from 0.57 to 0.91), Family Stress (seven items related to family altercations and child management; loadings from 0.57 to 0.87), and Chaos Stress (four items related to access to supplies, crowded shopping areas, news coverage; loadings from 0.53 to 0.70). Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated measurement invariance of each factor across female and male caregivers, indicating that factor structure, loadings, and thresholds were equivalent across groups. Composites reflective of each factor were computed, and Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that female caregivers consistently scored higher than male caregivers on COVID-19 stressors related to income, family, and chaos. Finally, concurrent validity was demonstrated by significant bivariate correlations between each scale and caregiver, family, and child outcomes, respectively. This demonstrates the validity of the COVID-19 Family Stressor Scale for use with female and male caregivers in family-based research. The current sample was predominantly White-European, married/common-law, and had at least some post-secondary education. Additional sampling and validation efforts are required across diverse ethnic/racial and socioeconomic groups.