• Health Outcomes of Parent Versus Adult Child Caregivers
  Presented by: Verna E. Zehner Ourada, Alexis J. Walker

• Factors Related to Grandparent Health and Functioning After Grandchild Death
  Presented by: JoAnne M. Youngblut, Dorothy Brooten, Kathleen Blais, Lynn Seagrave, Donna Charles

• Nursing Home Placement and Caregiver Burden
  Presented by: Melanie Natasha Jackson

• The Costs of Caregiving for Low-income Young Men: A Life Course Examination
  Presented by: Damian Michael Waters, Kevin Roy, Jocelyn Renee Smith, Lauren Messina, Nicole Finkbeiner, William C. Leonard

Abstracts

Health Outcomes of Parent Versus Adult Child Caregivers

Presented by: Verna E. Zehner Ourada, Alexis J. Walker

This study uses the Stress Process Model to examine the health of parents providing care to adult children with a disability and adult children providing care for aging parents.  The Mid-life Development in the United States (MIDUS II) survey is utilized to determine how stressors influence the health of caregivers.  Linear multiple regression will be used to model the relations among predictor variables (i.e., caregiving relationship), and the outcome variables (i.e., self-rated physical health and number of chronic conditions) controlling for gender and income adequacy.   We anticipate the health of both groups will be compromised, but for different reasons

Factors Related to Grandparent Health & Functioning After Grandchild Death

Presented by: JoAnne M. Youngblut, Dorothy Brooten, Kathleen Blais, Lynn Seagrave, Donna Charles

Purpose: describe grandparents' health and functioning 3 - 39 weeks after grandchild's death. 157 grandparents recruited through death records. Mean age was 56; 38% White, 36% Black, 26% Hispanic; 65% partnered. 64% of 113 deceased grandchildren (<6 years old) were male, 13.6 months mean age. 67% grandparents took 1 - 180 days off work. 45% ill; 6% hospitalized since the death. Lower self-rated health was related to greater depression, intrusive thoughts, panic behaviors, and disorganization. Younger, less educated grandparents reported more depression and PTSD. Grief, depression, PTSD  related to less social support, interfered with quality and quantity of work.

Nursing Home Placement and Caregiver Burden

Presented by: Melanie Natasha Jackson

The purpose of this paper is to better understand what factors impact an informal caregiver's decision to place a family relative in a nursing home versus providing care at home. As family members are usually the first source of care for aging relatives, investigators have focused on the process that these individuals go through in maintaining the role of caregiver. This paper seeks to understand and explain reasons why they may depart from this role by placing their relatives in a nursing home and how that decision impacts their experience of burden.

The Costs of Caregiving for Low-Income Young Men: A Life Course Examination

Presented by: Damian Michael Waters, Kevin Roy, Jocelyn Renee Smith, Lauren Messina, Nicole Finkbeiner, William C. Leonard

 Disconnection from work and school has received increased attention in recent years from researchers and policymakers. The role that health and caregiving experiences play in disconnection, however, has yet to be examined. Grounded theory guided the qualitative analysis of life-history interviews with 40 low-income young men involved in youth development programs in urban areas. Our findings suggest that low-income young men contribute significantly to the health care of their family members, primarily through involvement in caregiving activities. This involvement, however, may significantly shape their transitions to adulthood and impact their involvement with work and school. Implications for policies are discussed.