Robert A' Cummins1

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The wellbeing of caregivers
Robert A. Cummins1 Anna L.D. Lau2 Jacqui
Woerner1 1Australian Centre on Quality of
Life Deakin University 2Hong Kong Polytechnic
University
http//www.deakin.edu.au/research/acqol
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Quality of Life
Objective Conditions e.g. Poor Medical Health
Subjective Perceptions e.g. Low perceived
satisfaction with health
Objective QOL
Subjective Wellbeing
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What is subjective wellbeing?
A normally positive state of mind that involves
the whole life experience
How satisfied are you with your life as a whole?
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How satisfied are you with your life as a whole?

• Standard of living
• Health
• Achieving in life
• Relationships
• Safety
• Community connectedness
• Future security

How satisfied are you with your-----?
( Personal Wellbeing Index )
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The Australian Unity Wellbeing Index Surveys

• Geographically representative sample
• N 2,000
• Telephone interview
• 1 April 2001
• ------------
• 14 October 2005

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How satisfied are you with your --------?
Jones and Thurstone ,1955 11-point, end-defined
scale
Completely Dissatisfied
Completely Satisfied
Mixed
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(No Transcript)
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Normative range using survey mean scores as data
(N13)
Very satisfied
Very dissatisfied
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What causes subjective wellbeing to fall below
the normal range?

• When the demands on the person greatly exceed
  their resources

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The challenge of childrenvsPeople resources
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The challenge of childrenvsPeople resources
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The challenge of childrenvsPeople resources
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The challenge of children vsFinancial resources
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The challenge of childrenvsFinancial resources
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The challenge of childrenvsFinancial resources
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Survey 13Special topic The wellbeing of
home-based caregivers

• Is there a person in your household who needs to
  be physically cared-for due to their age or
  disability?

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Is there a person in your household who needs to
be physically cared-for due to their age or
disability?
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Demands gt ResourcesNever married as caregivers
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Demands Partner resourcesMarried caregivers
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Demands defeat Partner resources
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Time resources
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Demands of the person being cared for
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Characteristics of self-primary caregivers.
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Person demands vs life domains
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Person demands vs life domains
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Person demands vs life domains
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Are you the person who provides most of the
care?
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Conclusions

• Caregiving is a potential threat to the wellbeing
  of ALL household members.
• That threat needs to be matched by resources
  (personal or financial)
• Caregivers particularly at risk are
• Caregivers of people who are elderly or disabled
• Solo caregivers (either self or other)
• Caregivers with low income

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References
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Personal income and subjective well-being A
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Unity Wellbeing Index Report 13.0 The
Wellbeing of Australians Caregiving at Home.
Melbourne Australian Centre on Quality of Life,
School of Psychology, Deakin University. ISBN 1
74156 014 4. http//www.deakin.edu.au/research/acq
ol/index_wellbeing/index.htm
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References
Cummins, R.A., Eckersley, R. Pallant, J. Van
Vugt, J, Misajon, R. (2003). Developing a
national index of subjective wellbeing The
Australian Unity Wellbeing Index. Social
Indicators Research, 64, 159-190. Cummins, R.A.
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Likert scales The case for subjective quality of
life measurement. Proceedings, Second
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