Caring for dependent older adults is taking a serious toll on the health and well-being of family carers, with new research revealing that a lack of social support is a major factor driving high stress levels. The study, conducted in Ludhiana, India, examined 60 carer and care recipient pairs from middle-income households and found that more than half of carers experienced severe stress, largely due to minimal help from family, friends or formal services. The findings were published in Psychreg Journal of Psychology.
Researchers measured five key types of support which were family relationships, social connections, financial assistance, quality of carer and elderly interactions, and socioemotional support. Across all categories, the majority of carers reported low levels of help. The most striking gap was in socioemotional support, with three-quarters of participants saying they received little to no emotional encouragement, opportunities to talk about their challenges or moments of relief from their responsibilities.
Financial strain was another common problem. Over half of carers reported limited financial assistance to cover medical costs, treatments and other essential expenses for the older person in their care. This pressure was compounded for those also supporting children or managing household bills, leading to what the study described as a “sandwich” of competing responsibilities.
Interpersonal relationships between carers and the people they looked after were also found to be lacking in quality. While many carers spent long hours with the older adult, interactions were often one-sided, with the recipient too unwell or preoccupied with their condition to engage meaningfully. This, researchers noted, added to feelings of isolation and emotional fatigue among carers.
Statistical analysis revealed a strong negative correlation between the level of social support and carer stress. In other words, the more help carers had, whether from close family, friends, community members or professional services, the lower their stress levels. The findings echo previous international studies showing that informal and formal support networks play a vital role in easing the psychological and physical burden of care.
The report highlights that in India, where institutional care for the elderly is less common and family-based care remains the norm, carers often shoulder their responsibilities alone. While cultural expectations uphold the value of caring for older relatives, societal shifts toward smaller nuclear families and increased workforce participation among women have reduced the availability of traditional caregiving support.
The researchers recommend expanding community-level support systems, including respite care services, carer support groups and public health initiatives to recognise and address the needs of family carers. Encouraging carers to take regular breaks, maintain their own health and seek emotional as well as practical help could, they argue, improve both their quality of life and the quality of care provided to older adults.
Without adequate intervention, the study warns, the growing demand for elder care in ageing societies will continue to place unsustainable pressure on unpaid family carers, many of whom are at risk of becoming “hidden patients” themselves.