Informal caregiving and well-being in Europe: What can ease the negative consequences for caregivers?

In: Journal of European social policy, Band 24, Heft 5, S. 424-441

Abstract

Against the background of an ageing society with an increasing demand for informal caregivers, this study examines (1) to what extent informal caregiving is negatively related to well-being, (2) to what extent the relationship between informal caregiving and well-being varies over countries and (3) to what extent national policies and countries' normative climates reduce the well-being gap between caregivers and non-caregivers. Analyses on the European Quality of Life Survey 2007 ( N = 20,396 in 18 countries), applying multilevel regression techniques, confirmed previous findings that caregivers have lower levels of well-being than non-caregivers. This relationship varied between countries. Generous availability of formal long-term resources reduces the well-being gap between caregivers and non-caregivers. Surprisingly, services that are designed to support informal caregivers do not alleviate the negative well-being consequences. A strong country-level family norm does not affect the well-being gap between caregivers and non-caregivers, but reduces the negative well-being consequences of intensive caregiving.