NEW BURDENS OR MORE OF THE SAME - COMPARING GRANDPARENT, SPOUSE, AND ADULT-CHILD CAREGIVERS

This study compares the health of 42 grandparent, 44 spouse, and 130 a dult-child caregivers with 1,669 noncaregivers in 1994 and 1974. In 19 94, all three caregiver groups had poorer mental health than the nonca regivers; grandparent caregivers also had poorer physical health and g reater activity limitations. Spouse and adult-child caregivers had not differed from the noncaregivers 20 years prior, but grandparent careg ivers had experienced poorer health than the noncaregivers and more st ressful life events than the other caregivers. Caregiving appears to a dd new burdens to otherwise normal lives for spouse and adult-child ca regivers, while being yet another aspect of a difficult life course fo r grandparent caregivers.