Did you know that we’re a female-founded, women-led company? You also may not know that we’ve created hundreds of jobs for the healthcare assistants providing care over our platform—99% of whom are female. So it makes sense that we have a vested interest in gender and caregiving. Add to that it being Women’s Month, and that’s why we were drawn to finding out everything we could about gender differences in caregiving. Our findings may surprise you!
Our Biggest Findings
Most older persons (65%) rely on family and friends for their long-term care needs. (Family Caregiving Alliance)
The world over, women are the primary providers of informal, unpaid care for family members (57-81%), including the elderly and adults with chronic medical conditions, physical disabilities, and mental illnesses. (NCBI)
Women provide the majority of informal care to:
Partners,
Parents,
Parents-in-law,
Friends, and
Neighbours.
Women play a whole host of roles as caregivers:
Hands-on healthcare provider,
Care manager,
Friend,
Companion,
Stand-in decision-maker, and
Supporter.
In fact, studies suggest that there are societal and cultural pressures on women to adopt the role of family-caregiver. (NCBI)
Many women don’t have the necessary knowledge or preparation for the role they’re undertaking but are expected to adopt it because they’re female. (NCBI)
Health consequences: Higher levels of depression and anxiety are common among women who care for an older friend or relative. (Family Caregiving Alliance)
Men and women respond differently to caregiving responsibilities: Studies find that women tend to stay home, while men delay retirement in an effort to shoulder the costs of long-term care. (Family Caregiving Alliance)
That said, caregiving can also be rewarding. According to one study, family caregivers report generally high levels of reward. The greatest source? Feelings of being helpful. This is closely followed by giving something to the person in their care that brings them happiness and being there for them. The smallest sources? Personal growth, self-satisfaction, and personal meaning.
Interventions designed to support family caregivers include:
Education,
Training,
Counselling, and
Respite care.
Respite Care
We offer short-term care for when a caregiver or family member needs a break from the demands of caregiving or is unavailable. Whether it's for just a few hours, a week, or an extended period! Restore your energy and find out more about our respite care services.
Resources
Help yourself to our collection of the best resources on the topic: