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The Sociology of Caregiving pp 15–32Cite as

Social Change and Caregiving

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Part of the book series: Clinical Sociology: Research and Practice ((CSRP))

Abstract

Caregiving has always been a universal experience of compassion and familial responsibility in American society, but due to social change caregiving has become an essential and growing part of healthcare, long-term care, and social service policy-making. Family caregivers provide about 80 % of all long-term services and support for family members and friends across the lifespan, yet they are the most neglected group in the health and long-term care system. In conjunction with the growing numbers of older persons, the U.S. faces changes in the rates and outcomes of various conditions and disabilities. For example, the estimated cost of Alzheimer’s disease to public programs totaled $50 billion in 2000 and is projected to be $ 200 billion by 2012. Immigration issues have implications for policy. Along with increased immigration are increases in interethnic and interracial marriage. Diversity presents policy and service challenges especially regarding assimilation, income disparities, and poverty. The effect of a changing age structure will create new and broad changes in American life.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Since the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in 1993, 21 states have dropped the family component of the original law and, instead, reduced coverage to baby care or parental leave. This shifts the emphasis on family, including care of elderly parents, to parental, baby care only. With the baby boom population aging the demand for family care will increase and employers will be pressured by employees for release time to assist aging parents. See Wisensale (2003).

  2. 2.

    M. Schulman pointed to 12 key diseases whose control has altered history. They are: smallpox, tuberculosis, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, influenza, bubonic plague, cholera, malaria, yellow fever, hemophilia and porphyria, and plant disease. See Schulman (2008).

  3. 3.

    Also see National Center for Health Statistics (2011).

  4. 4.

    See Levine (2008).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA

    John G. Bruhn

  2. Department of Sociology, University of Maryland, Princess Anne, Maryland, USA

    Howard M. Rebach

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  1. John G. Bruhn
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  2. Howard M. Rebach
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Correspondence to John G. Bruhn .

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Bruhn, J., Rebach, H. (2014). Social Change and Caregiving. In: The Sociology of Caregiving. Clinical Sociology: Research and Practice. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8857-1_2

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