A longitudinal analysis of social isolation and loneliness among family caregivers in Canada

Family caregiving is invaluable in the healthcare system. However, family caregivers experience social isolation and loneliness due to providing care to family members or friends in need due to health, disability or aging-related issues. Both social isolation and loneliness have a negative impact on health and wellbeing, particularly on psychological wellbeing. The primary purpose of the proposed study is to understand the social isolation and loneliness among Canadian family caregivers, including the change in social isolation and loneliness experienced by family caregivers, the relationship between caregiving characteristics and social isolation and loneliness, as well as whether social isolation and loneliness mediate the relationship between family caregiving and psychological wellbeing among family caregivers. The current study will conduct longitudinal data analysis based on the Baseline and Follow-up 1 data of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

In this project, investigators examined the health and wellbeing outcomes among family caregivers. The key findings include that: 1) caregivers tend to experience greater social isolation over time, particularly spousal caregivers; 2) middle-aged individuals with multiple roles and responsibilities (caregiving, parenting and working) experience increased social isolation over time; and 3) caregivers with greater caregiving responsibilities and social isolation tend to report worse health over time. Besides, this project highlights the necessity and significance of examining the change of the caregiving situation, and its association with the change of the health and well-being of family caregivers. The relevant publications based on this project provide evidence to highlight the need to examine social isolation as an essential caregiving outcome. Evidence from this project has also established the relationship between the caregiving situation and social isolation, as well as between social isolation and health.