Family and friends who provide long-term care for older adults face many challenges, including widespread perceptions on how they should, or shouldn't, care for their loved ones.
This internalized public perception of caregiving and a lack of awareness about caregivers' experiences may impact how older adults are cared for, says Larissa Zwar, Brock University's new Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Social Psychology of Aging.
Assistant Professor of Psychology Larissa Zwar, who has been named Canada Research Chair in Social Psychology of Aging, studies how different forms of stigma impact informal long-term care for older adults.
"Informal caregiving is still a very invisible area," says the Assistant Professor of Psychology. "I hope by shedding more light on the perception of caregiving and its connection with caregivers' and care recipients' experiences, decision-making and well-being, we can provide better support programs for them."
Zwar was among 179 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs announced March 13 by then-Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne. Her award brings the number of active Canada Research Chairs at Brock to 13.
"Ensuring the health and well-being of older adults, and those who care for them, is a growing priority as our population ages," says Acting Vice-President, Research Michelle McGinn.
"It's gratifying to see the Canada Research Chairs Program recognize Dr. Zwar's scholarship, which will have significant impact on the ways we care for the caregivers."
As a CRC, Zwar will be pursuing her research on how different forms of stigma impact informal long-term care for older adults.
Zwar defines care-related stigma as the stereotypes, attitudes and discrimination people encounter either from society, their families or their own beliefs as they care for older adults.
She says her research aims to better understand how stigma associated with informal long-term care for older adults contributes to caregivers' and care recipients' risk, resilience and decision-making about caregiving.
"Understanding these mechanisms is essential to support caregivers' well-being and ability to access and integrate support," says Zwar. "These findings will help us to develop care concepts that are sustainable and sensitive to these beliefs and different needs."
Her research will explore how care-related stigma intersects with other forms of prejudice, such as racism, ageism and sexism, to influence how much caregivers rely on outside help and how it relates to the often-reported stress and guilt experienced by caregivers, says Zwar.
"Some people think, I should restrict my hobbies and free time so that I can spend more time providing care'," says Zwar. "Caregivers don't really put these stereotypes into words, but in conversation with them, it becomes clear that they have an idea of what they believe they should do, and that they often feel like they're not fulfilling those criteria."
Zwar's work also looks at the experiences of caregivers who are themselves older adults, and on other systematically marginalized and minoritized groups.
"Dr. Zwar's research is particularly relevant for the Niagara region, where almost one-quarter of our population is over the age of 65 years," says Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre.
"It's vital we give older adults the best and most compassionate care possible when they need it," he says.
Chris Bittle, Member of Parliament for St. Catharines, says those who provide informal long-term care for older adults are often overlooked or misunderstood.
"Through Dr. Zwar's work, we'll better understand the experience of caregivers, which can lead to supports for them and their families," he says.
