Anxiety about aging: A neglected dimension of caregivers' experiences

Examines the relationship between caregiving burden & caregivers' anxiety about their own aging, drawing on secondary national survey data from 894 respondents. As expected, higher levels of burden were associated with greater anxiety about aging. Comments from caregivers also help to understand their anxieties. The relationship was even stronger for caregivers with loved ones living in nursing homes. Spouses had the highest anxiety scores. Implications for recognizing other longer-term consequences of caregiving are discussed. It is argued that those who work directly with caregiving families need to assess a broader range of potential problems & help arrange for cost-effective services to meet these needs. 5 Tables, 28 References. Adapted from the source document.