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Nicole DePasquale, Kelly D. Davis, Steven H. Zarit, Phyllis Moen, Leslie B. Hammer, David M. Almeida, Combining Formal and Informal Caregiving Roles: The Psychosocial Implications of Double- and Triple-Duty Care, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, Volume 71, Issue 2, March 2016, Pages 201–211, https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbu139
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Abstract
Women who combine formal and informal caregiving roles represent a unique, understudied population. In the literature, healthcare employees who simultaneously provide unpaid elder care at home have been referred to as double-duty caregivers. The present study broadens this perspective by examining the psychosocial implications of double-duty child care (child care only), double-duty elder care (elder care only), and triple-duty care (both child care and elder care or “sandwiched” care).
Drawing from the Work, Family, and Health Study, we focus on a large sample of women working in nursing homes in the United States ( n = 1,399). We use multiple regression analysis and analysis of covariance tests to examine a range of psychosocial implications associated with double- and triple-duty care.
Compared with nonfamily caregivers, double-duty child caregivers indicated greater family-to-work conflict and poorer partner relationship quality. Double-duty elder caregivers reported more family-to-work conflict, perceived stress, and psychological distress, whereas triple-duty caregivers indicated poorer psychosocial functioning overall.
Relative to their counterparts without family caregiving roles, women with combined caregiving roles reported poorer psychosocial well-being. Additional research on women with combined caregiving roles, especially triple-duty caregivers, should be a priority amidst an aging population, older workforce, and growing number of working caregivers.
