Seizing life with both hands: longitudinal analyses of grip strength among informal caregivers in Europe (SHARE).

Background: This longitudinal study analyzed the association between informal caregiving inside and caregiving outside the household with changes in grip strength, and whether these associations varied based on caregivers' gender and age among adults in Europe.

Methods: Data from the longitudinal Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) was used, including participants aged ≥ 40 years from 10 European countries (pooled over five waves; 2004-2015). Grip strength was measured as maximum grip strength of both hands, informal caregiving as transitions in status as caregiver inside or outside the household. Fixed Effects regression analysis was used, adjusted for health, body mass index and sociodemographic background and additional analyses were conducted with age and gender as moderators.

Results: Higher grip strength was found among those who transitioned into caregiving outside the household. With higher age, the association between caregiving outside the household and grip strength was stronger, and more pronounced among men. The transition into caregiving inside the household was associated with lower grip strength at older age.

Conclusions: The location of caregiving, and caregiver's age and gender play an important role for changes in grip strength. The findings suggest that caregiving outside the household might be helpful for grip strength, in particular for older and male adults. Older caregivers inside the household, however, seem to need more support to prevent further decline in grip strength.