ArticleAge and ageing2024
Characteristics of older unpaid carers in England: a study of social patterning from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
Article in Age and ageing, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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4 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.
- Experiences of Informal Caregivers Facing Cancer While Caring for Someone With Dementia: Qualitative Interview Study.JMIR cancer · 2026Article
- Older caregivers and care recipients in Europe: a cluster analysis according to health and social outcomes.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2026Article
- Differential Impact of Risk Factors for Cognitive Decline in Heterosexual and Sexual Minority Older Adults in England.Brain sciences · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
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Abstract
backgroundA growing number of older people provide unpaid care, but contemporary research evidence on this group is limited.
aimThis study aims to describe the characteristics of older people who provide unpaid care and how these vary by socioeconomic position.
methodsUsing recent information from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA wave 9, 2019), we analysed cross-sectional data on 1,282 unpaid carers aged ≥50. Data on sociodemographics, health, social wellbeing, care intensity and caregiver-recipient relationships were extracted. Total net non-pension wealth quintiles were used as a relative measure of socioeconomic position. Differences between the poorest and richest wealth quintiles were examined through logistic regression.
findingsMost older carers in ELSA were female and looking after another older person. Poor mental and physical health and social isolation were common, and socially patterned. Compared with carers in the middle wealth group, the poorest group were more likely to be living with the person they cared for (odds ratio (OR) 1.56 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-2.36]) and more likely to experience loneliness (OR 2.29 [95% CI 1.42-3.69]), dependency (i.e. the need for help with activities of daily living) (OR 1.62 [95% CI 1.05-2.51]), chronic pain (OR 1.81 [95% CI 1.23-2.67]), a higher number of diseases (OR 1.75 [95% CI 1.15-2.65]) and fair/poor self-rated health (OR 2.59 [95% CI 1.79-3.76]). The poorest carers were also less likely to have a high quality of life (OR 0.51 [95% CI 0.33-0.80]) or be in work (OR 0.33 [95% CI 0.19-0.59]).
conclusionOur findings suggest that financially disadvantaged unpaid carers (and their households) may have the greatest needs for intervention and support. Focussing resources on this group has potential to address social inequalities.
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