Table 1 Description of 10 Studies of Young and young adult caregivers of older people
Authors (year) [Ref number] | Methodology | Data collection technique | Sample size (n) | Caregiver socio-demographicsa | Type of caregiving role | Care recipient characteristicsb | Findings classified by main themes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fruhauf & Orel (2008) [26] | Qualitative | Face-to-face semi-structured interviews | 34 | Age: 7 to 29 years Sex: 19 females, 15 males Education: 5 primary school; 3 middle school; 9 high school; 1 associate degree; 7 had or were finishing bachelor degrees; 7 post-graduate degree Nationality-ethnicity: 26 white, 6 black and 2 Latinos Relationship to care recipient: grandchildren | 1 primary 9 secondary 24 auxiliary | Age: 67 to 93 years Sex: 27 females, 23 males Pathology: cognitive and/or physical limitations | a) Types of activities performed by caregivers b) Feelings related to providing care c) Coping strategies in response to caregiving demands |
Fruhauf, Jarrott, & Allen (2006) [5] | Qualitative | Face-to-face interviews | 17 | Age: 21 to 29 years Sex: 9 females, 8 males Education: all reported having some type of higher education, 11 participants enrolled in college Nationality-ethnicity: 14 White, 3 Black Relationship to care recipient: grandchildren | 1 primary 9 secondary 7 tertiary | Age: 72 to 91 years Sex: not specified Pathology: not specified | a) How young caregivers define their role b) How they make sense of their role c) What they like about their role d) What they do not like about caregiving e) Coping strategies |
Dellmann-Jenkins, Blankemeyer, & Pinkard (2000) [25] | Mixed methods | Structured and open-ended interviews | 43 | Age: 18 to 40 years Sex: 38 females, 5 males Education: 20 high school graduates, 10 attended some college, 13 college graduates Nationality-ethnicity: 35 White, 6 Black, 1 Asian American, 1 Native American Relationship to care recipient: 20 daughters, 19 granddaughter, 2 sons, 2 grandsons | Primary | Age: 60 to 96 years Sex: not specified Pathology: not specified | a) Frequency and type of assistance provided b) Strains resulting from the caregiving role c) Positive outcomes resulting from the caregiver role d) Caregiver’s use of support sources e) Words of wisdom and recommendation |
Orel & Dupuy (2002) [42] | Qualitative | Semi-structured interviews | 6 | Age: 7 to 17 years Sex: 4 females, 2 males Education: not specified Nationality-ethnicity: White Relationship to care recipient: grandchildren | Auxiliary | Age: mean age 78.6 years Sex: not specified Pathology: limitations in physical and/or cognitive functioning | a) Coping strategies b) Positive outcomes of caring c) Negative outcomes of caring d) Recommendations |
Beach (1997) [29] | Qualitative | Semi-structured interviews | 20 | Age: 14 to 18 years Sex: 11 females, 9 males Education: the majority completed high school education Nationality-ethnicity: 13 White, 3% Black, 2% Native Americans, 2% Pacific islanders Relationship to care recipient: 4 children, 12 grandchildren and 4 nieces/nephews | Auxiliary | Age: mean age 69 years Sex: not specified. Pathology: Alzheimer’s disease or dementia | a) Positive impact on family relationships, specifically with siblings b) Greater empathy for older adults c) Greater intimacy within mother/adolescent relationship d) Selection of friends among peers |
Dellmann-Jenkins & Brittain (2003) [40] | Mixed methods | Multiple-choice questionnaire; Six open-ended questions | 80 | Age: 18 to 40 years Sex: 68 females, 12 males Education: 7 primary school, 35 high school, 28 undergraduate degree, 4 trade vocational degree, 6 master degree Nationality-ethnicity: 70 White, 2 Native Americans, 6 Black Relationship to care recipient: not specified | Primary | Age: 64 to 91 years Sex: not specified Pathology: physical and/or cognitive impairments | a) Reasons for caring b) Type of support provided to care recipient c) Negative and positive outcomes of caring d) Need for support |
Dellmann-Jenkins, Blankemeyer, & Pinkard (2001) [64] | Mixed methods | Multiple choice questionnaire; Open-ended questions; Close-ended questions | 50 | Age: 18 to 40 years Sex: 45 females, 5 males Education: 1 completed primary school, 24 high school graduates, 3 attended college, 9 enrolled in college, 11 college graduates, 3 graduate degree Nationality-ethnicity: 43 White, 3 Black, 2 Asian Americans, 2 Native Americans Relationship to care recipient: 21 daughters, 3 sons, 16 granddaughters, 2 grandsons, 4 daughters-in-law, 1 granddaughters-in-law, 1 great-granddaughters, 2 nieces | Primary | Age: 60 to 96 years Sex: not specified Pathology: 81% have more than one cognitive or physical limitation | a) Differentiation from the family of origin b) Establishing intimate relationships c) Career development |
Hamill (2012) [41] | Quantitative | Structured telephone inteviews | 29 | Age: 11 to 21 years Sex: 21 females, 8 males Education: not specified Nationality-ethnicity: 7 families were Mexican Americans (8), and the remaining were whites (21) Relationship to care recipient: grandchildren | Auxiliary | Age: Mean age 79.29 years (SD=8.28) Sex: not specified Pathology: Alzheimer’s disease | a) Grandchildren as auxiliary caregivers b) How is caregiving related to adolescent development c) How is caregiving related to attitudes to long-term care |
Orel, Dupuy, & Wright (2004) [27] | Qualitative | Semi-structured interviews | 6 | Age: 7 to 17 years Sex: 4 females, 2 males Education: 2 primary school, 4 secondary school Nationality-ethnicity: White Relationship to care recipient: grandchildren | Auxiliary | Age: 71 to 91 years Sex: 3 females, 3 males Pathology: 2 hypertension arthritis, 1 vascular dementia arthritis, 1 hypertension diabetes arthritis, 1 Alzheimer arthritis, 1 Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) | a) Grandchildren’s perception of disease b) Grandchildren’s perceptions of care recipient c) Caregiving activities performed by grandchildren d) Non-caregiving activities with grandparents e) Feelings related to providing care f) Grandchildren’s perceptions of parents’ caregiving responsibilities |
Blanton (2013) [65] | Qualitative | In-depth interview | 10 | Age: 17 to 30 years Sex: not specified Education: not specified Nationality-ethnicity: 8 White, 1 Black, 1 Hispanic Relationship to care recipient: grandchildren | Auxiliary | Age: not specified Sex: 5 females, 5 males Pathology: 8 were both physically frail and cognitively impaired, 2 only physically frail | a) The diversity and continuity of the nature of intergenerational relationships in families b) Nature of involvement in the family caregiving process c) Feeling of being caught in the middle or pulled in various ways |