People with Disabilities as Elder Care Providers in the United States

• In Event: 015 - Regular Session. Care Work/Caring Labor

Abstract

Individuals with disabilities often have limitations that require care from others to increase functioning and facilitate activities of daily living. Despite these care receiving needs, evidence suggests people with disabilities also provide unpaid care for elderly. This study uses the American Time Use Survey to provide the first population-level examination of the presence of a sensory, cognitive, physical, or multiple limitation and the likelihood and intensity of time spent in aging-related eldercare for those aged 65 and over. Net of sociodemographic controls, women with physical limitations are less likely than those without disability to provide elder care in the last 3 months, as are men with multiple limiting conditions. Otherwise, we do not observe consistent differences in the likelihood of caring for elderly or the intensity of care by disability status. Results challenge the traditional focus on people with disabilities as only beneficiaries of care to document their role as benefactors.

Authors

• Carrie L. Shandra, State University of New York at Stony Brook

• Anna Penner, University of California, Irvine