%0 Journal Article %J J Women Aging %D 2017 %T Caregiver stressors and depressive symptoms among older husbands and wives in the United States. %A Kim, Min Hee %A Ruth E Dunkle %A Amanda J Lehning %A Shen, Huei-Wern %A Sheila Feld %A Angela K Perone %K Activities of Daily Living %K Aged %K Caregivers %K depression %K Female %K Humans %K Independent Living %K Longitudinal Studies %K Male %K Middle Aged %K Multivariate Analysis %K Prospective Studies %K Regression Analysis %K Sex Factors %K Spouses %K Stress, Psychological %K United States %X

Framed by Pearlin's Stress Process Model, this study prospectively examines the effects of primary stress factors reflecting the duration, amount, and type of care on the depressive symptoms of spousal caregivers over a2-year period, and whether the effects of stressors differ between husbands and wives. Data are from the 2004 and 2006 waves of the Health and Retirement Study and we included community-dwelling respondents providing activities of daily life (ADL) and/or instrumental activities of daily life (IADL) help to their spouses/partners (N = 774). Results from multivariate regression models indicate that none of the primary stressors were associated with depressive symptoms. However, wives providing only personal care had significantly more depressive symptoms than wives providing only instrumental care, while husbands providing different types of care showed no such differences. To illuminate strategies for reducing the higher distress experienced by wife caregivers engaged in personal care assistance, further studies are needed incorporating couples' relational dynamics and gendered experiences in personal care.

%B J Women Aging %V 29 %P 494-504 %8 2017 Nov-Dec %G eng %N 6 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27673406?dopt=Abstract %R 10.1080/08952841.2016.1223962 %0 Journal Article %J J Gerontol Soc Work %D 2015 %T The prevalence of older couples with ADL limitations and factors associated with ADL help receipt. %A Shen, Huei-Wern %A Sheila Feld %A Ruth E Dunkle %A Tracy Schroepfer %A Amanda J Lehning %K Activities of Daily Living %K Aged %K Aged, 80 and over %K Cross-Sectional Studies %K Female %K Health Services Accessibility %K Humans %K Male %K Social Support %K Socioeconomic factors %X

Using the Andersen-Newman model, we investigated the prevalence of activities of daily living (ADLs) limitations in married couples, and couple characteristics associated with ADL help-receipt. In this sample of 3,235 couples age 65+ in the 2004 Health and Retirement Study, 74.3%, 22.1%, and 3.6% were couples in which neither partner, one partner, or both partners had limitations, respectively. Logistic regression results indicate that help-receipt was associated with certain health needs in the couple, but not with their predisposing characteristics or enabling resources. Social workers could target couples most in need of assistance by assessing both partners' health problems.

%B J Gerontol Soc Work %I 58 %V 58 %P 171-89 %8 2015 %G eng %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2014.944248 %N 2 %1 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25036802?dopt=Abstract %2 PMC4297741 %4 health/functional limitations/care needs/spousal caregiving/marital dyad %$ 999999 %R 10.1080/01634372.2014.944248 %0 Journal Article %J Research on Aging %D 2014 %T Does Becoming an ADL Spousal Caregiver Increase the Caregiver's Depressive Symptoms? %A Ruth E Dunkle %A Sheila Feld %A Amanda J Lehning %A Kim, Hyunjee %A Shen, Huei-Wern %A Kim, Min Hee %K Adult children %K Health Conditions and Status %K Healthcare %K Public Policy %X This study investigated whether transitioning into the role of activities of daily living (ADL) spousal caregiver is associated with increased depressive symptoms for older husbands and wives among a sample of coresiding community-dwelling older couples. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we estimated a two-level linear model to examine the association between change in caregiver status and respondents depressive symptoms at follow-up, controlling for other factors identified in Pearlin s stress process model (PSPM). Results indicate that both husbands and wives who become ADL caregivers have more follow-up depressive symptoms than noncaregivers. Furthermore, wives continuing as caregivers have more follow-up depressive symptoms than wives who do not provide care. Finally, the physical health of the spousal caregiver is related to depressive symptoms at follow-up. We conclude with policy and practice implications of these three main findings. %B Research on Aging %V 36 %P 655-682 %G eng %U http://roa.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/12/22/0164027513516152.abstract %N 6 %4 Depressive Symptoms/ADL/IADL/caregiver burden/stress/spousal caregiving/Public Policy %$ 999999 %& 655 %R 10.1177/0164027513516152