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Informal Home Care for Frail Black Elderly

Memphis State University

Inadequate financial resources to cover the cost of long-term care services is common among chronically disabled elderly. For many elderly, particularly Blacks, family caregivers are the primary source of long-term care, including medical services and all types of informal assistance. Using national data from Mathematica Policy Researchers' National Long Term Care Demonstration Project, this article identifies descriptive and unique characteristics of informal caregivers to the frail Black elderly. The analysis indicates a fundamental role of nonimmediate family members in the care of Black elderly. The employment status, living arrangements, education, and marital status of the caregiver, as well as the disability level of the elderly care recipient are key factors that influence the number of hours of informal care provided. Extensive hours spent in providing informal care are associated with a reduction in leisure time and physical and emotional strain for caregivers. The article concludes with policy suggestions pertaining to the use of consistent definitions of family by policymakers and the population they desire to serve, equitable tax policy, and family leave policy.

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