Publication year
2014
Citation Title
From serving in the military to serving loved ones: Unique experiences of older veteran caregivers.
Journal Name
American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
Journal Volume
22
Issue Number
6
Page Numbers
570-579
DOI
10.1016/j.jagp.2012.11.023
Summary
It is unknown how caregiving Veterans' differ from non-caregiving Veterans. A survey was conducted to evaluate how caregiving strain and perceived reward varied among a sample of older Veterans. Results suggest that the caregiving context, including the number of hours and relationship type, as well as the caregivers' attitudes and previous combat exposure, contributed to the perceived strain and reward of caregiving.
Key Findings
Previous combat exposure was associated with less emotional strain associated with caregiving among Veterans.
Veteran caregivers who cared for their grandchildren perceived higher levels of caregiving-related reward compared to Veterans who provided care to individuals other than grandchildren.
Of the Veteran caregivers, 39% reported at least some physical strain and 53% reported at least some emotional strain as a result of their caregiving role.
Higher levels of overall gratitude and happiness and higher levels of perceived support were associated with increased perceptions of caregiving-related rewards.
Implications for Program Leaders
Facilitate support groups for Service members who are caregivers to offer adaptive coping skills in an effort to reduce the emotional strain associated with caregiving
Provide information to Service member caregivers about the resources available to support caregiving
Increase the availability of stress-relieving activities for Service members, offering caregivers an occasional break from their caregiving duties
Implications for Policy Makers
Promote the development of resources for Service members designed to alleviate caregiver burden
Continue to support initiatives, including support groups, hotlines, and interventions, that alleviate caregivers' burdens
Recommend education for community providers including information on the physical and emotional impact that being a caregiver can have on a Service member.
Methods
Participants were recruited from The National Health and Resilience in Veterans sample, from which a random sample was taken by contacting Veterans via the mail.
In order to qualify to participate, participants must have self-identified themselves as a Veteran with prior service in the U.S. Armed Forces, Military Reserve or National Guard, and have been 60 years or older.
Participants completed an online survey which collected data on demographics, combat exposure, health, cognitive status, psycho-social factors, and care-giving physical strain, emotional strain, and reward.
Researchers analyzed whether different aspects of caregiving were related to caregiving strain and rewards.
Participants
A total of 2,025 U.S. Veterans participated in the study, of which 431 reported caregiving for another on a regular basis and 1,585 were non-caregivers.
The participants were 60 years of age or older (M = 71 years old). The majority of the participants were White (89%), had some college education or higher (86%), were married (80%) and lived in a metropolitan area (84%).
The majority of caregiving Veterans served in the Army (41%), while others served with the Navy (25%), Air Force (23%), Marine Corps (8%) and other branches (2%). Of those surveyed, 40% experienced combat.
Limitations
The majority of participants were white and educated, limiting the ability to generalize findings to Service members of different races and educational backgrounds.
The severity and type of medical conditions of the care recipients was unknown, which could have influenced the results.
Data were cross-sectional, so causation cannot be inferred.
Avenues for Future Research
Recruit a more diverse sample in order to increase the ability to generalize findings
Collect information on the type of caregiving, including the medical condition and severity, in order to present a more accurate picture of which types of caregiving are associated with increased strain and rewards
Collect data at multiple time points to better understand the relationship between variables and caregiver burdens and rewards over time
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Component
Abstract
Objective: We examined whether older caregiving veterans differ from noncaregiving
veterans in terms of health and psychosocial factors and how these factors
and caregiving aspects (i.e., hours, relationship type) relate to caregiving strain and
reward. We also evaluated two hypotheses: (1) combat exposure provides protection
from emotional caregiving strain, and (2) grandparenting is particularly rewarding.
Methods: We used a cross-sectional web survey of a nationally representative sample
of older veterans in the United States. Data were drawn from the National Health and
Resilience in Veterans Study, and participants were 2,025 U.S. veterans aged 60 or
older (mean: 71.0; SD: 7.1; range: 60e96). Participants completed measures of
caregiving status, sociodemographic characteristics, combat exposure, physical and
mental health, cognitive status, and psychosocial characteristics. Caregivers reported
caregiving hours, caregiving type, emotional and physical strain, and reward.
Results: A total of 20.4% of U.S. older veterans are caregivers. As predicted, among the
veteran caregivers, (1) combat exposure was associated with less emotional caregiving
strain (odds ratio [OR]: 0.57), and (2) grandparenting was associated with
increased perception of caregiving reward (OR: 5.28). Resilience was negatively
associated with physical strain, whereas depressive symptoms were associated with
greater emotional strain; gratitude, happiness, and social support were additionally
associated with greater reward. Caregivers were more likely to be married and highly
educated than noncaregivers but did not differ with respect to health or psychosocial
characteristics. Conclusion: One in five older U.S. veterans is a caregiver. Older
veterans’ combat exposure may decrease the emotional demands of caregiving, and
grandparenting is perceived as particularly rewarding. Results suggest that older
veterans are an important caregiving resource that deserves tailored resources.
veterans in terms of health and psychosocial factors and how these factors
and caregiving aspects (i.e., hours, relationship type) relate to caregiving strain and
reward. We also evaluated two hypotheses: (1) combat exposure provides protection
from emotional caregiving strain, and (2) grandparenting is particularly rewarding.
Methods: We used a cross-sectional web survey of a nationally representative sample
of older veterans in the United States. Data were drawn from the National Health and
Resilience in Veterans Study, and participants were 2,025 U.S. veterans aged 60 or
older (mean: 71.0; SD: 7.1; range: 60e96). Participants completed measures of
caregiving status, sociodemographic characteristics, combat exposure, physical and
mental health, cognitive status, and psychosocial characteristics. Caregivers reported
caregiving hours, caregiving type, emotional and physical strain, and reward.
Results: A total of 20.4% of U.S. older veterans are caregivers. As predicted, among the
veteran caregivers, (1) combat exposure was associated with less emotional caregiving
strain (odds ratio [OR]: 0.57), and (2) grandparenting was associated with
increased perception of caregiving reward (OR: 5.28). Resilience was negatively
associated with physical strain, whereas depressive symptoms were associated with
greater emotional strain; gratitude, happiness, and social support were additionally
associated with greater reward. Caregivers were more likely to be married and highly
educated than noncaregivers but did not differ with respect to health or psychosocial
characteristics. Conclusion: One in five older U.S. veterans is a caregiver. Older
veterans’ combat exposure may decrease the emotional demands of caregiving, and
grandparenting is perceived as particularly rewarding. Results suggest that older
veterans are an important caregiving resource that deserves tailored resources.
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