What is it about?
Evidence is fragmented about the impact of caring for family members with long-term health conditions, disabilities, or ageing-related needs on carers’ social relationships. To address this, we reviewed systematically 66 published articles. We found that caring impacts three sets of social connections: the relationship between carers and care receivers; carers’ relationships with other family members; and their relationships with broader social networks. The nature of the consequences differs across these three relationship categories, although changes in relationship quality and reciprocity were seen in all cases.
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Why is it important?
The power of social connections is a current focus of research across world regions. Yet, evidence of challenges to family carers' social relationships remains fragmented and underexplored. Our scoping review synthesizes research on the impact of caring on carers' social relationships with care receivers, with other family members, and with broader social networks. Two knowledge gaps are identified: changes in relationships across time and understanding the diversities and complexities of change that carers incur in their social relationships.
Perspectives
Social consequences for carers extend across a broad set of social relationships, are far-reaching, and are complex. Carers' social relationships are changed in relation to care receivers, to other family members, and to broader social networks. Carers' family identities are also changed as they are confronted with rethinking their roles of spouse, son or daughter, or sibling.
Jacquie Eales
University of Alberta
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This page is a summary of: Social consequences of family care of adults: a scoping review, International Journal of Care and Caring, June 2017, Policy Press,
DOI: 10.1332/239788217x14937990731749.
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