Resilience and Faith of African American Caregivers

Abstract

African Americans comprise the largest group of older people of color, and like other groups, they are living longer than before. Of caregivers in the US, 13% are African American, and of the 1.3 million older African Americans who lived with a grandchild, 42% also provide care to an older person. To cope with the strain these responsibilities bring, many African American caregivers seek support and comfort from their faith traditions. This chapter describes that phenomenon and gives suggestions for ways that helping professionals might best utilize this natural source of caregivers’ strength and resilience.