ArticleThe Gerontologist2025
Associations Between Informal Caregiving and Physical Functioning: A Longitudinal Analysis of Dutch Older Adults.
Article in The Gerontologist, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND
objectivesDespite a growing body of literature on physical functioning and informal caregiving in later life, few studies have explored how physical functioning changes over time in older caregivers versus noncaregivers and the role of different functioning types in understanding these changes. This study investigates the association between informal caregiving and changes in physical functioning over time among older adults in the Northern Netherlands. RESEARCH DESIGN AND
methodsWe analyzed data from 2 waves of the Lifelines Cohort Study, using a sample of 9,912 older caregivers and noncaregivers. We examined 11 outcome variables: overall physical functioning and 10 physical functioning types (e.g., vigorous and moderate activities; lifting/carrying groceries; walking various distances). We also controlled for health and demographic characteristics. Associations between changes in physical functioning and caregiving were modeled using generalized estimating equations.
resultsCaregiving affects the effect of aging on older adults' physical functioning, with caregivers experiencing less decline in overall physical functioning, moderate activities, and lifting/carrying groceries compared with noncaregivers. Despite this, caregivers exhibited higher mental and physical impairments at baseline, contradicting aspects of the healthy caregiver hypothesis. Gender differences were significant, with women showing more limitations in physical functioning than men. Additionally, higher household income and educational attainment were associated with better physical functioning, potentially weakening the negative association between caregiving and aging. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This research contributes valuable insights into healthy aging, informal care, and disability in later life, indicating the need for tailored interventions and policies for older caregivers.
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