Table. Characteristics of 1230 Community-Living Older Adults With Disability and 1861 Family and Unpaid Caregivers and Associated Adjusted Odds of Caregiver Traininga.
| Characteristic | Did Not Receive Training, %b | Received Training, %b | P Value (χ2 Test) | Adjusted Odds Ratio (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caregivers, No. (row %), millionsc | 16.6 (92.7) | 1.3 (7.3) | NA | NA |
| Older adult characteristics | ||||
| Age, y | ||||
| 65-74 | 34.1 | 43.9 | .13 | 1 [Reference] |
| 75-84 | 39.2 | 30.8 | 0.70 (0.42-1.14) | |
| ≥85 | 26.7 | 25.3 | 0.96 (0.54-1.70) | |
| Female | 67.1 | 55.1 | .35 | 0.68 (0.39-1.17) |
| White race | 69.6 | 55.6 | <.001 | 0.61 (0.39-0.96) |
| Medicaid enrolled | 21.6 | 35.2 | <.001 | 1.32 (0.74-2.37) |
| Hospitalized in past year | 36.7 | 55.7 | <.001 | 1.97 (1.27-3.06) |
| Self-reported health | ||||
| Excellent/very good | 16.6 | 10.2 | .01 | 1 [Reference] |
| Good | 33.2 | 37.8 | 1.27 (0.53-3.04) | |
| Fair/poor | 50.2 | 52.0 | 1.01 (0.49-2.08) | |
| Probable dementia | 25.1 | 27.8 | .003 | 0.82 (0.49-1.37) |
| Caregiver characteristics | ||||
| Age, y | ||||
| <55 | 39.4 | 42.9 | .07 | 1 [Reference] |
| 55-64 | 21.6 | 29.5 | 1.43 (0.74-2.77) | |
| ≥65 | 38.9 | 27.6 | 0.65 (0.27-1.58) | |
| Female sex | 61.3 | 62.9 | .09 | 0.85 (0.42-1.70) |
| Caregiver lives with older adult | 48.4 | 49.7 | .85 | 0.58 (0.28-1.22) |
| Relationship to older adult | ||||
| Adult child | 49.5 | 53.2 | .35 | 1 [Reference] |
| Spouse | 23.4 | 28.1 | 2.19 (0.89-5.40) | |
| Other | 27.1 | 18.7 | 0.89 (0.41-1.92) | |
| Paid for caregiving | 2.6 | 12.2 | <.001 | 4.40 (1.94-9.98) |
| Composite caregiving burdend | ||||
| None | 41.1 | 26.2 | <.001 | 1 [Reference] |
| Some/a lot | 59.0 | 73.8 | 1.73 (0.93-3.23) | |
| Help with functional taskse | ||||
| Household chores only | 23.5 | 13.6 | <.001 | 1 [Reference] |
| Mobility tasks | 25.6 | 11.7 | 0.84 (0.30-2.34) | |
| Self-care tasks | 50.9 | 74.7 | 1.86 (0.75-4.58) | |
| Help with health care tasksf | 46.5 | 68.6 | <.001 | 1.64 (0.93-2.89) |
Source: 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study and linked National Study of Caregivers.
Percentages are weighted to account for complex survey design.
Unweighted sample includes 1708 caregivers who do not report training and 153 who report training.
Composite burden scale ranges from 0 to 9, based on caregiver reports of financial, emotional, and physical strain, as well as feeling exhausted, feeling they had no time for themselves, or feeling there was more to do than they could manage. Those scoring 2 or higher are categorized as “some/a lot.”
Household chores include laundry, meal preparation, and cleaning. Mobility tasks include getting around inside or outside the home and transferring. Self-care tasks include eating, bathing, dressing, and toileting.
Health care tasks include medication management and medical tasks such as ostomy care, intravenous injections, or blood testing.