The Availability of Care for Late-Middle-Aged Adults With Chronic ...

If these children had actually reached adulthood, they may have been pursuing educational degrees, developing careers, forming families, and/or moving farther from loved ones.

In contrast, at the time of this study the spouses of older persons were likely to be retired and have more free time. While parental help was unavailable, older persons relied on adult children for assistance (Stone, Cafferata, & Sangl, 1987). These children were likely to be older than the children of persons in late middle age, and thus farther along in their career and family paths, potentially allowing them more flexibility with their schedules in order to assist ailing parents. A recent study of the “sandwich generation” in Canada (individuals aged 45–64 who have children under 25 living at home and who are also caring for their aging parents) found that 15% of these caregivers to aging parents reduced work hours, 20% changed work schedules, and 10% incurred a loss of income (Williams, 2004). These may not be viable options for the adult children of those in late middle age still early in their career and family formation.

Even when family support is available to those in late middle age, it may not be utilized. Indeed, compared with those 65 and older, individuals aged 50–64 have been shown to perceive less family support and greater family conflict (Turner, 1996). Literature focusing on the use of personal assistants for the severely physically disabled (i.e., individuals hired and trained directly by the care recipient to help with the personal care tasks usually per-formed by family members) suggests that many individuals, par-ticularly younger adults, prefer not to rely on the assistance of family and friends (Allen & Ciambrone, 2003). Through the use of personal assistant services, loss of autonomy and burdening family members with caregiving tasks are simultaneously avoided.

Second, while informal help may be less accessible or desirable to those in late middle age, federal health care policy has virtually ignored the needs of this group.