Too little time to care for my loved ones: time poverty for quality of care and the moderating role of community social capital among family caregivers

Caregiving for older adults with disabilities may lead to a shortage of time resources; however, there is a lack of understanding regarding the potential impact of time poverty on family caregivers. Based on conservation of resources theory, this study examined the relationship between time poverty and quality of care, including the moderating role of community social capital. Using a stratified sampling method, family caregivers were recruited in Changchun, China, in August and September 2024. A total of 431 family caregivers (age: M = 63.76, SD = 10.80; 66.36% female) were included in the analysis. Eligibility criteria required that participants be unpaid primary caregivers who were relatives of the care recipients, lived in the same community, and provided at least 6 h of care per week to older adults with disabilities. We tested the hypotheses using structural equation modeling and latent moderated structural equations. The results revealed a direct negative relationship between time poverty and quality of care. Caregiving competence mediated this relationship. Furthermore, community social capital moderated the indirect effect of time poverty on quality of care. Specifically, the direct effect of time poverty on caregiving competence and the indirect effect on quality of care through caregiving competence were stronger and significant when community social capital was low. The findings highlight the importance of focusing on time poverty and community social capital in the context of family caregiving and suggest that relevant departments should intervene from a resource perspective to improve the quality of care provided by family caregivers.