Gender perspective on informal care for elderly people one year after acute stroke

Background and aims: The aim of the one-year follow-up was to evaluate formal care and the situation of informal caregivers from a gender perspective. Methods: The present study targeted elderly persons (n=147) living in their own homes 12 months after acute stroke, 94 women and 53 men. The median age of the women was 81 years and the men 80 years. Results: A statistically significant gender difference was seen in living conditions. Eighty percent of the women were living alone compared with 28% of the men (CI 48–56%). The informal care given far exceeded that provided by the community: 65% of these elderly people had some kind of informal care and 44% received formal care from the community. There was a gender difference in daily informal personal care, 24% of men and 16% of women (CI 2-218%), and in daily informal household assistance (CI 15–43%). Formal care was provided by the community significantly more frequently to women (56%) than men (23%) (CI 21–45%). The women more frequently had community-based help with house-cleaning (CI 23–39%) and they also more frequently received help with personal care (CI 1–10%). Conclusions: This study showed statistically significant gender differences in the use of informal and formal care. Elderly caregivers’ situations must be given greater attention, since informal care to stroke survivors represents a far greater burden than the care that is provided by the community. Most of the caregivers were elderly women, and preventive intervention measures should be developed in order to enable them to manage their everyday lives.