Family and other informal caregivers provide the vast majority of long-term care to older adults as well as others with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Although they report some positive aspects of caregiving, in general, research suggests that caregiving is stressful and has negative implications for the health and well-being of caregivers. Yet, little is known regarding its impact on related outcomes such as union stability in middle and later life. To address this gap, we drew on retrospective data on union histories drawn from the 2007 Canadian General Social Survey for a national sample of adults aged 45 and older who were in a marital union or a cohabiting union a union at age 45 (n=17,194). Cox proportional hazard models revealed that being involved in caregiving activities was associated with a reduced likelihood of separation or divorce in middle and later life, particularly when the respondent was a primary caregiver and the care recipient was a current or former spouse/partner. However, this was primarily the case for men and those in marital unions. For women as well as those in cohabiting unions, caregiving activities (i.e., having been a caregiver before the age of 45, serving as a primary caregiver, and not receiving professional assistance) enhanced the risk of subsequent union dissolution. These findings suggest that caregiving both contributes to and undermines union stability. This, in turn, has important implications for theory, research, and the provision of support to informal caregivers.
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