THE STRESS OF CARING FOR A PARENT - EFFECTS OF THE ELDERS IMPAIRMENT ON AN EMPLOYED, ADULT-CHILD

This study examines direct and indirect effects of an elder's impairme nt on the caregiving stress of employed sons and daughters. Using path analysis and decomposition of variance, it examines data provided by 1,585 employees who care for a parent or parent-in-law aged 60 or olde r, The direct effect of impairment on stress is stronger for cognitive -behavioral problems than it is for limitations in activities of daily living. Also, there are indirect effects of impairment on caregiver s tress via the amount of caregiving. Significant effects also were foun d for time off from work to help the elder and for the elder's assista nce to caregivers.