More men caring for parents

NEW YORK, Nov. 29 (UPI) -- An increasing number of men are becoming the primary caregiver for elderly parents, says the U.S.-based Alzheimer's Association.

In a survey, men comprised nearly 40 percent of family care givers -- up from 19 percent in a study conducted by the Association in 1996, The New York Times reported Saturday.

"It used to be that when men said, 'I'll always take care of my mother,' it meant, 'My wife will always take care of my mother,'" said Carol Levine, a spokeswoman for the United Hospital Fund. "But now, more and more men are doing it."

It's estimated 17 million men are caring for adults in the United States as families become smaller and more women work full-time, the Times reported.

Male care givers tend to have fewer outside contacts and are more likely to become socially isolated, said Dr. Donna Benton, director of the Los Angeles Caregiver Network.

"That's the harder part for men, to find someone to talk to," Benton said. "It's the emotional side: the guilt, the sadness, the anger. For men it becomes more stressful because they can't talk about it. They feel cut off."