Survey: More than half of people over 50 are an important source of health care assistance for older relatives

Survey: More than half of people over 50 are an important source of health care assistance for older relatives

More than half of those over 50 say they have helped at least one person over 65 take care of their health, personal hygiene, home or finances in the past two years, a new survey from the University of Michigan has found.

And more than 70% of this group has provided such help to someone they do not live with - whether it is a parent, another relative or a neighbor.

This type of care and other help — almost entirely unpaid — affects more than just the older adult who receives it, according to new data from the National Poll on Healthy Aging. It also impacts the people over 50 who help.

Almost everyone says they get something positive from the experience. But many say it's more difficult than expected — especially for those helping an older adult who has many needs or someone with mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's or another type of dementia, the survey found.

The survey is based on the UM Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation and supported by AARP and Michigan Medicine, UM's academic medical center.

The new results will be presented this week by survey deputy director Erica Solway, Ph.D., at the meeting of the Gerontological Society of America. November is also National Family Caregivers Month.

The challenges of helping someone you know as they get older shouldn't be underestimated, but neither should the potential rewards. This data shows the importance of supporting those who serve our nation's oldest adults. Not only have 54% of people over 50 done so in the last two years during the pandemic, but about two-thirds of this group are actively doing so now.”

Courtney Polenick, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and nursing researcher at Michigan Medicine

The survey asked people between the ages of 50 and 80 whether in the last two years they had helped at least one person over the age of 65 with a variety of tasks ranging from grocery shopping and house cleaning to bathing, dressing, going to doctor's appointments, managing medications, helping with health insurance and financial tasks, and home repairs and modifications.

“I see this routinely in my primary care practice, and I know the value spouses, adult children and close friends can have on the health and well-being of older adults,” says survey director Jeffrey Kullgren, MD, MPH, MS. associate professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medicine and researcher at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. “But there is almost no formal mechanism for our society to recognize or compensate them for what they do.”

Support with health needs

Often, the type of support from family and friends lasts for years, and one person may find themselves helping multiple older adults, the survey shows. About a third of people over 50 who have provided this type of help say they have been doing so for five years or longer. And 41% have helped more than one elderly person.

The type of help covers a wide range of tasks. A third of those over 50 have helped someone over 65 with healthcare tasks, including attending medical appointments or communicating with the person's care providers on their behalf. About 15% of people over 50 have helped someone over 65 manage their medications, and the same percentage have helped someone over 65 navigate their health insurance.

Other research has shown that such help can increase the chance that an older adult will effectively manage chronic illness or receive preventive care.

For this reason, many clinics, hospitals and health systems allow adult patients to designate another adult to access the online patient portal system on their behalf so they can schedule appointments and view information such as medications and test results. However, the survey shows that of those currently assisting a person over 65 with healthcare tasks, only 12% communicated with the person's healthcare provider through a patient portal.

Kullgren and Polenick note that increasing this type of “proxy” access to the patient portal by spouses, adult children and other trusted aides could improve care.

Help beyond health

The survey shows that help goes beyond health care. Almost a third of those over 50 had helped someone over 65 with household chores, a similar percentage (31%) had helped with grocery shopping or cooking, and a slightly smaller percentage (22%) had helped someone over 65 manage their finances.

On the more personal side of life, 16% of people over 50 have helped someone over 65 dress, bathe, or perform other personal tasks – even if they don't have the same training that home health aides receive for sometimes complex tasks.

“Caring for an older adult is a complex experience that impacts 48 million caregivers in the U.S. from an emotional, health and financial perspective,” said Indira Venkat, senior vice president, AARP Research. "If you are not currently a caregiver, you will either be a caregiver or need a caregiver at some point in your life. It is important that we consider the unique needs of caregivers and ensure they have the support to care for themselves and their loved ones."

Positive and negative

Almost all (96%) helpers and carers over 50 say there are positive aspects to offering this type of help, including feeling valued (52%), having a sense of purpose (45%) and growing closer with family or friends (35%). A majority said it made them more aware of their own future health and personal care needs, and about a third said it made them more focused on their own health or motivated them to create a will, trust or living will.

But two-thirds (65%) also reported challenges. For example, many said that helping leads to physical or emotional exhaustion (34%), challenges their work-life balance (31%), or lacks support from family or friends (19%). Almost a quarter (22%) said they lack time for their own self-care.

Nearly half (47%) of those who helped someone with five or more types of tasks said they felt it was a little or a lot more difficult than they expected. This compares to just 12% of those who only helped with one or two types of tasks.

Memory and cognitive problems among the people being helped also add to the challenge. Overall, 45% of those who help a person with mild cognitive impairment and 58% of those who help someone with Alzheimer's or another type of dementia say it is more difficult than expected. This compares to 15% of those who help someone without one of these conditions.

AARP provides caregivers with tools, information and support. The AARP Family Caregiving website at www.aarp.org/caregiving provides an easy way to join an online community of other caregivers, learn about local services, get helpful information, and connect with others who understand the challenges of caregiving.

The survey report is based on the results of a nationally representative survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago for IHPI and conducted online and by telephone in July 2022 among 2,163 adults ages 50 to 80. The sample was then weighted to reflect the US population.

Source:

Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan

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