THE TRANSITIONS OF CAREGIVING - SUBJECTIVE AND OBJECTIVE DEFINITIONS

We examined two indicators of the temporal trajectory of caregiving: ( a) duration of caregiving and (b) the perception that caregiving is a new role, an ongoing role, or a role that will end soon. The associati on between the two depended on the type of onset of the caregiving rol e (abrupt or gradual) and the type of kinship relationship with the ca re recipient (wife or daughter). Daughters in later stages of caregivi ng had a more distant relationship with the care recipient and more su bjective burden than daughters in the earlier stages. Wives evidenced the opposite pattern, as those who had been providing care for a longe r duration of time reported less burden, and those who perceived thems elves to be in the later stages of caregiving reported a closer relati onship with their husband.