Gender and Care-Giving Stress: The Case of Care for the Elderly

Abstract

  According to recent statistics, those giving care to the frail elderly are predominantly women, but in Japan, abuse of the frail elderly is more prevalent among male caregivers. Is the psychological wellbeing of male caregivers poorer compared to their female counterparts? Is the gender difference explained by factors associated with stress processes (e.g., stressors, mediators) and/or gender differences in the effect of those factors on psychological wellbeing? How do patterns of gender differences vary in terms of relationship between the caregiver and the frail elderly?

  Guided by the Care-giving Stress Process Model, this study examined the gender differences in hatred and their relationships to the stress processes among those involved in elderly care at home according to the relationship of caregiver to the frail elderly. Data came from men and women aged 24-90, respondents of the Survey of Caregivers of Frail Elderly in 2001 (N＝382). As a result of the analyses, gender differences in hatred were observed among those giving care to spouse or parent-in law, but not among those giving care to their own parent. The OLS results suggest the possibility that the gender differences in hatred may be explained by the gender differences in the effect of stress process variables on hatred, and that such processes may vary by the relationship of caregiver to the frail elderly.