# Exploring the experience of informal caregivers of dependent elderly people with the well-being valuation method

## TL;DR

This study explores how caregiving for elderly people affects caregivers' well-being and assigns a monetary value to the burden.

## Contribution

The paper introduces the well-being valuation method to quantify caregiving burdens economically.

## Key findings

- Disrupted schedule, lack of family support, and self-esteem are key factors affecting caregivers' well-being.
- Caregiving burdens equate to a monthly income reduction of 226.69 RMB for average-income caregivers.
- The study suggests focusing on schedule and social relationship burdens in long-term care policies.

## Abstract

Although informal caregivers are the primary providers of long-term care for the elderly globally, research on the impact of caregiving experiences on the well-being of caregivers is relatively limited.

This study conducted interviews with 297 family informal caregivers in Shanghai, measured their subjective burdens, and applied the well-being valuation method to calculate the monetary value of the welfare changes resulting from caregiving burdens.

According to the findings, sub-dimensions of the Chinese version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA) of disrupted schedule, lack of family support, and self-esteem were significantly related to caregivers’ well-being. For caregivers with average income and average CRA scores, the impact of caregiving experiences on their well-being level was equivalent to a monthly income reduction of 226.69 RMB (4.7% of their monthly income).

This paper provides a new and useful perspective for the evaluation of long-term care policies, and suggests prioritizing the alleviation of caregivers’ schedule and social relationship burdens, and understanding the ‘intrinsic coping mechanisms’ of caregiving responses from an economic perspective.