Informal Caregiving for Older Americans: An Analysis of the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study

This report examines the role and experiences of informal caregivers for the older population, using a
new resource, the National Survey of Caregiving (NSOC). The NSOC is unique in interviewing all
informal caregivers for a nationally representative sample of persons age 65 or older receiving
assistance with daily activities. NSOC respondents report on types of assistance they provide beyond
traditional household (IADL) and self-care or mobility (ADL) tasks. These tasks range from assisting
with transportation to help with health or medical care, including such things as injections or ostomy
care. Thus, estimates capture the full range of supports informal caregivers provide and contributions
they make in areas other than explicit long-term care. Information collected about positive and
negative aspects of caregiving, health, and indicators of subjective well-being allows examination of
how gains and burdens differ by caregiver and care recipient characteristics and by the intensity of
care provided. [41 PDF pages]