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Caregiving and Cognition in Later Life: Moderating Role of Social Networks
Mon, August 12, 8:30 to 9:30am, New York Hilton, Floor: Third Floor, Trianon BallroomAbstract
Informal caregiving often occurs in later life when the increased responsibility may pose a significant strain on older adults. Many studies question the health consequences of caregiving, but find evidence pointing in either direction. I revisit the relationship between caregiving and health among older adults by drawing attention to the moderating role of social networks. In particular, I focus on cognitive functioning among long-term caregivers compared to non-caregivers. This is important given that later life is a time when many older adults face concerns of cognitive decline and that long-term exposure to caregiving stressors may aggravate such declines. Social networks are typically considered beneficial for personal health as they can buffer the detrimental effects of stress, provide stimulating interactions, and diversify social resources. However, certain types of social networks are more beneficial than others. Drawing on insights from social network theory, I use nationally-representative panel data to explore whether certain social network characteristics (e.g., network composition and structure) have divergent effects on cognition. Ultimately, I find that being connected to a diverse group of people offers exposure to different social situations which bolsters caregivers’ cognitive functioning. Non-caregivers, who are not exposed to caregiving duties, appear to be unaffected by these differing forms of social network composition and structure. Rather, they simply benefit from any type of social interaction so long as they maintain a large social network. Moving forward, research should continue to consider the impacts of social networks on health outcomes, particularly when investigating relationships characterized by cognitive decline.