Table 1 Characteristics of the participants: relatives (N = 296) and older people (N = 296)
Characteristics | Relatives | Older people | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
mean | sd | mean | sd | |
Age | 66.7 | 13.8 | 82.5 | 4.7 |
n | % | n | % | |
Female | 198 | 66.9 | 139 | 47.0 |
Male | 89 | 30.1 | 157 | 53.0 |
Relative’s relationship to the older person | ||||
 Spouse/partner (wife 73%, husband 27%) | 140 | 48.3 | – | – |
 Child (daughter 60%, son 40%) | 132 | 45.5 | – | – |
 Other | 18 | 6.3 | – | – |
Single | 41 | 14.3 | 136 | 46.3 |
Higher education (upper secondary school or university) | 130 | 44.8 | 59 | 19.9 |
Main occupation a | ||||
 Employed or self–employed work, studying | 103 | 34.9 | – | – |
 Retired (due to age) | 178 | 60.3 | – | – |
 Other | 28 | 9.6 | – | – |
Relative cohabiting with older person | 138 | 47.6 | – | – |
Older person living alone | – | – | 135 | 45.9 |
Most common medical diagnosis of the older person b | ||||
 Circulatory | – | – | 284 | 95.9 |
 Musculoskeletal | – | – | 233 | 78.7 |
 Psychiatric | – | – | 102 | 34.5 |