UNDERSTANDING THE WELL-BEING OF CARE RECEIVERS

A model in which the contributions made by older care receivers to the ir family members predicted personal control and ultimately psychologi cal well-being of older people living in multigenerational households was proposed and tested. Data from 129 people over the age of 60 revea ls that physical health predicts the extent to which elders contribute to the family, with those in poorer health giving less help to family members than those in better health. Elder contributions to the famil y increased the sense of control experienced by the older person. Alth ough personal control increased the overall sense of psychological wel l-being experienced by the older care receivers, there was no direct r elationship between the elder's contributions to the family and their psychological well-being.