Analysis of the Utilization & Needs of Caregivers in the United States

PURPOSE: The role of a caregiver can be physically and emotionally demanding (Stevens et al., 2015). As such, it is crucial to understand the caregiver’s experience to support their needs. The purpose of this study was to describe: caregiver demographic profile, current state of care, caregiver perceptions and the impact on the dyad, perceptions of aging and the need for care, and use of technology.

METHODS: We used a retrospective, cross-sectional design to examine data collected between 2010 – 2018. Data were collected from the Roper Center database (Cornell University, 2021). Data were analyzed using a method of averaging the response rate of participants in each study. This method was used because it could not be determined if the same participant pool was used across multiple surveys.

RESULTS: The participants were female (55%), White (70%), and married (54%). Most of the participants were currently providing care (42%), were a child of the care receiver (60.8%), provided care because of a long-term physical condition (69%), and provided 10+ hours of care per week (55.5%). Most respondents reported having a choice in taking on the caregiver role (59.3%), received respite care from family/friends (76%), and missed up to 1 week of work to provide care (51%). Participants reported it was likely they would need care in the future (62%), a physical limitation would be the reason for care (29.9%), likely to be a caregiver in the future (56%), and not or only somewhat prepared to be a caregiver (80%). Participants used computers to search for health information (71.2%), were concerned with level of care through technology (47%) and felt safer with use of home safety devices (81.6%).

CONCLUSION: This data will support opportunities for methods of interprofessional collaboration to support the care dyads’ occupational performance. One of the future aims is to lay the groundwork to investigate caregiver needs and the role of occupational therapy in meeting those needs.

References

Cornell University. (2021). The Roper Center For Public Opinion Research. Ithaca, NY.

Stevens, L. F., Pickett, T. C., Wilder Schaaf, K. P., Taylor, B. C., Gravely, A., Harold Van Houtven, C., Friedemann-Sanchez, G., & Griffin, J. M. (2015). The relationship between training and mental health among caregivers of individuals with polytrauma. Behavioural Neurology, 2015, Article ID 185941, 13 pages, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2015/185941