Eldercare and caregiver burden - Has the Jewish community response met the challenge of culture and religious practice?

Due to a multiplicity of factors such as changing demographics, planners, researchers and policymakers have long identified caregiver burden as an area of major concern. The contribution of informal family caregivers significantly reduces the cost of elder care and improves health care outcomes. Failure to address caregiver burden may lead to increased cost, poor health care outcomes for both the patient and the caregiver. Interventions such as social supports are effective. Empirical studies demonstrate that culture and ethnicity are associated with intensity of caregiver burden.

This pilot study examines the hypothesis that elements of Jewish culture and religious practice may serve as barriers to accessing services to reduce caregiver burden.

Study Design and Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews of 16 Jewish community leaders, and self-administered surveys of 160 caregivers in four large Jewish communities: New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Cleveland. Both the in-depth interviews and caregiver surveys explore the following questions: Is the community's social support network helping caregivers and are caregivers seeking and accessing available services? Is there a barrier in accessing help by segments of the Jewish community? Does religious observance or conformance with cultural norms create conflicts with accessing services? Do caregivers equate seeking help with failure to fulfill the biblical command to honor one's parents? How has the Jewish community responded to these challenges?

The caregiver surveys also employ the Zarit Burden Interview and probes the role that culture and religious practice and belief intersects with their caregiver responsibilities. Analyses are done overall and across communities.