Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to assess sociodemographic factors affecting the employment status of home caregivers of elderly people.
Participants: Subjects were 98 home caregivers (mean age, 54.9±7.0 years) who had been employed before they started providing care.
Methods: The employment status and sociodemographic characteristics of caregivers, as well as characteristics of elderly persons receiving care from the caregivers, were surveyed by self-administered questionnaires.
Results: Among 98 caregivers, 69 (70.4%) were employed and 29 (29.6%) were unemployed. Required care levels of elderly persons who received care were higher with unemployed caregivers than with employed caregivers (p < 0.05). In unemployed caregivers, age was higher, the proportion of females was lower, care time was longer, and support from other family members was less compared with employed caregivers (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that care time (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.00), age of caregivers (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.71-0.91), and use of a home-visit nursing service (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.05-0.75) were negatively related to employment, whereas support from family members was positively related to employment (OR 5.23, 95% CI 1.41-9.34). Required care level was significantly correlated with care time (r=0.37, p < 0.001).
Conclusions: A higher care level leads to a longer care time, resulting in unemployment. Leave from a job can be moderated by support from family members and a younger age of caregivers. Additionally, unemployment appears to increase the use of home-visit nursing services.
