“Most elderly males have informal care, most elderly females do not.”
- Cynthia M. Taeuber
Anyone who provides assistance to those who need it to maintain an optimal level of independence is a care giver. Families provide the majority of care giving, which is commonly referred to as “informal care” because it’s unpaid.
If the care recipient is married the primary caregiver will be the spouse; otherwise adult children, typically, adult daughters or daughters-in-law will assume the care giving role.
Older Women Living Life in Ways Older Men Will Not
Women in most developed countries outlive men by 5 to 9 years; although men do get old—women get older; for that reason aging and care giving are mainly women’s issues.