“I Feel Better now than I did at the Beginning”: A Qualitative Study of Older People’s Experiences of Caring for Older Adults and its Impact on Health

Background population aging, along with changes in gender and kinship social norms, have led to a growing proportion of older people caring for similarly aged individuals. Most of them are spouses or partners oquef the cared-for person and take on multiple demanding and time-consuming care tasks. According to the “double jeopardy” hypothesis, the health of the older carers is particularly at risk because due to the combined effect of caregiving responsibilities and the biological aging process. Objective to deepen our understanding of older people’s experience of caring for older adults and its impact on their health. Methods this study conducted a qualitative content analysis based on 14 in-depth interviews. The participants were carers aged 70 and older living in Spain, who were providing care to a person of similar age due to physical or cognitive health problems. Results the findings reveal a range of outcomes, including negative effects—such as limitations in daily life and personal projects—buffering factors—such as social support networks, acceptance of the situation, self-care strategies—and ambiguous elements—such as caring motivations and expectations for the future. Conclusions this study underscores the importance of developing a more nuanced understanding of the diverse experiences of caring for.