Today, more and more caregivers are male. Despite this fact, the vast majority of research on caregiving has centered on the experience of the female caregiver. This volume addresses the fundamental gap in our knowledge and theories about the growing male subpopulation of caregivers. The authors identify the serious limitations that result from viewing men caregivers through the lens of women's experiences and call for an unbiased and fresh perspective in future research. Special consideration is given to men who care for a family member with dementia; fathers of adult children with mental retardation; gay male caregivers for partners with AIDS; and sons and parent care.

Despite the proliferation of books and articles on caregiving over the past three decades, the vast majority of research has centered on the experience of the female caregiver. This focus on women is neither unwarranted nor surprising given that women generally predominate in caregiving roles. Nonetheless, recent studies estimate that between 14 and 18 percent of men ranging in ages from nineteen to later middle age are providing care to a family member or friend with a serious illness or disability. And in men 75 or older, there are more husbands caring for wives than vice versa. Also among persons caring for AIDS sufferers in central cities, over 50 percent are men. In light of these substantial numbers, plus demographic trends that will probably increase the proportion of male caregivers in the future, it is important to study men in caregiving roles to further our understanding of this critical area of healthcare.Drs. Kramer and Thompson, both experienced researchers in the area of men as caregivers, provide an in-depth and comprehensive overview of the topic in this collection of articles from various experts.Part I provides the rationale for the volume, explores styles of caregiving, and critiques the premise that men do not do hands-on care.Part II reviews theoretical explanations of the gendered division of labor in family care and provides a critical review of methods used in studies that focus exclusively on male caregivers.Part III consists of nine chapters that both review the literature and present original research on male caregivers. Special consideration is given to gay male caregivers of partners with AIDS, men who care for a family member with dementia, fathers of adult children with mental disabilities, spousal care of women with cancer, and sons caring for parents.Part IV profiles gender-sensitive interventions, skills, supports, and services that draw upon research and clinical wisdom for working with the male caregiver.This valuable collection of current research addresses a neglected but increasingly important area of caregiving.

Machine generated contents note: Part I Introduction -- 1 Men Caregivers: An Overview -- Betty J. Kramer -- 2 What's Unique About Men's Caregiving? -- Edward H. Thompson, Jr. -- Part II Conceptual, Theoretical, and Methodological Insights -- 3 Theoretical Perspectives on Caregiving Men -- Eleanor Palo Stoller -- 4 Methodological Issues in Research on Men Caregivers -- Jamila Bookwala, Judith L. Newman, and Richard Schulz -- Part III Research -- 5 Psychosocial Challenges and Rewards Experienced -- by Caregiving Men: A Review of the Literature -- and an Empirical Case Example -- Elizabeth H. Carpenter and Baila H. Miller -- 6 Physiological Challenges Associated With Caregiving -- Among Men -- Karen A. Adler, Thomas L. Patterson, and Igor Grant -- 7 The Experiences and Relationships of Gay Male Caregivers -- Who Provide Care for Their Partners with AIDS -- Carolyn Sidwell Sipes -- 8 AIDS Caregiving Stress Among HIV-Infected Men -- Richard G. Wight -- 9 The Voices of Husbands and Sons Caring for a Family -- Member With Dementia -- Phyllis Braudy Harris -- 10 Brothers and Parent Care: An Explanation for -- Sons' Underrepresentation -- Sarah H. Matthews -- 11 Fathers as Caregivers for Adult Children With -- Mental Retardation -- Elizabeth L. Essex, Marsha M. Seltzer, and Marty W. Krauss -- 12 Differences Between Fathers and Mothers in the Care -- of Their Children With Mental Illness -- Jan S. Greenberg -- 13 Husbands Caring for Wives with Cancer -- Desiree Ciambrone and Susan M. Allen -- Part IV Services and Interventions -- 14 Professional Sensitivity to Religion-Spirituality -- Among Male Caregivers -- Jacqueline M. Stolley and Joan Chohan -- 15 Principles and Interventions for Working Therapeutically -- with Caregiving Men: Responding to Challenges -- Sam Femiano and Aimee Coonerty-Femiano -- 16 Service Utilization and Support Provision of -- Caregiving Men -- Lenard W. Kaye -- Epilogue: Implications for Practice and Future Research -- Betty J. Kramer -- Index.

The stories of fathers caring for non-verbal children and how these experiences alter their understandings of care, masculinity, and living a full life. Vulnerable narratives of fatherhood are few and far between; rarer still is an ethnography that delves into the practical and emotional realities of intensive caregiving. Grounded in the intimate everyday lives of men caring for children with major physical and intellectual disabilities, Worlds of Care undertakes an exploration of how men shape their identities in the context of caregiving. Anthropologist Aaron J. Jackson fuses ethnographic research and creative nonfiction to offer an evocative account of what is required for men to create habitable worlds and find some kind of “normal” when their circumstances are anything but. Combining stories from his fieldwork in North America with reflections on his own experience caring for his severely disabled son, Jackson argues that care has the potential to transform our understanding of who we are and how we relate to others.

How does caregiving affect health and well-being and what resources help caregivers? This book provides a synthesis of psychological research on caregiver stress and brings attention to the personal, social and structural factors that affect caregivers' well-being and as well as recent behavioral interventions to enhance health.

Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.

In My Two Elaines, author Marty Schreiber, former governor of Wisconsin, watches his beloved wife, Elaine, gradually transform from the woman he fell in love with in high school, and who diligently supported his political career, to the Elaine who knows she is declining and can’t remember how to cook a meal, and finally to the Elaine who no longer recognizes Marty or their children. One part love story, one part practical advice, this compelling book includes several unique elements: Excerpts from Elaine’s journal, recounting her thoughts, concerns, and frustrations as the disease progresses A recurring feature called “What I Wish I’d Known,” which provides helpful takeaways for caregivers based on Marty’s observations about what he wishes he’d known sooner and done differently A Q&A between Marty and neuropsychologist Dr. Michelle Braun, to equip caregivers with the right questions to ask and empower them to advocate for their loved ones and their own needs Beyond sincere, practical advice, My Two Elaines gives the reader permission to feel the full spectrum of emotions, including humor, even in the face of this relentless illness. And the book speaks to anyone touched by this disease--spouse, child, friend, or family member.