Can domestic helpers moderate the caring distress of offspring caregivers?

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the influence of domestic helpers on offspring caregiving distress. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data on 12,677 Hong Kong Chinese aged 60+ from 2007 to 2009. All variables were measured using the Minimum Data Set-Home Care. RESULTS: About 37% of the off-spring caregivers felt distressed and 7.52% were aided by domestic helpers. SEM revealed that, for elders without domestic helpers, caregivers were more distressed when the elders had more physiological needs, more negative mood symptoms, received more IADL care and less psychological support; but these factors had no impact in the non-domestic helper group. Specifically, psychological support provision had a significant different impact (p<0.01) between the domestic helper group (coeff. = 0.240, p >0.05) and the non-domestic helper group (coeff. = -0.202, p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: The findings confirm domestic helper can be a moderator of offspring caregiving distress.