Nationwide survey to better understand the characteristics of older caregivers in Sweden

Informal caregiving has become an increasingly important issue in Sweden due to the growing ageing population and changes in social welfare policies.

Informal caregivers, who are often family members, friends, or neighbours, provide essential support to older adults in need of assistance with daily activities, healthcare, and social support. With this in mind, the Aging Research Center at Karolinska Institutet, in collaboration with National competence center for relatives – for a relatives-friendly society (Nka), is launching a nationwide survey to gain a better understanding of the characteristics of Swedish older caregivers.

"Considering that informal caregivers bear the load of almost two-thirds of the care provided to older people who live at home, preserving their well-being is absolutely essential", says Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga, the principal researcher of the study.

“This survey will give much needed detailed knowledge about the sources of burden and satisfaction for older caregivers in order to better tailor appropriate support for this important group of carers”, continues Lennart Magnusson, director of Nka.

The survey will be carried out by Statistikmyndigheten (SCB) and will be sent to 31,000 randomly selected older adults, aged 55 and above, all over the country. It will cover a wide range of topics surrounding the caregivers' well-being and the impact of caregiving on their daily lives. The invitation to the survey will be sent out by post in the coming weeks.

The researchers encourage all recipients to respond and participate in this important study, which aims to improve the lives of informal caregivers and those they care for.

The results of the survey will then help the research team develop more effective support programmes for informal caregivers.