Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T03:08:35.791Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Combining Employment and Caregiving: An Intricate Juggling Act*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Nancy Guberman  and
Pierre Maheu
Nancy Guberman
Affiliation:
Université du Québec à Montréal
Pierre Maheu
Affiliation:
Université du Québec à Montréal
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article examines the process which allows caregivers to combine employment and eldercare. Using an interactionist approach, the authors present the factors which determine this process, based on a qualitative study with 25 caregivers. The article proposes that the effects of eldercare on employment are the result of the degree to which caregivers manage to maintain balance between different life spheres: personal and social life, family life, caregiving and employment. This balance is achieved by a complex process of co-ordination, negotiation, and mediation which the authors call “juggling work” and which itself is determined by a series of factors, conditions and contextual elements.

Résumé

Cet article examine le processus qui permet aux soignantes familiales de combiner un emploi et la prise en charge d'une personne âgée dépendante. S'inscrivant dans un cadre d'analyse interactionniste, les auteurs présentent les facteurs qui déterminent ce processus à partir d'une recherche auprès de 25 soignantes, utilisant une méthodologie qualitative. Il est proposé que les effets de la prise en charge sur l'emploi sont la résultante du degré d'atteinte par la personne soignante du maintien de l'équilibre entre les divers sphères de sa vie: vie personnelle et sociale, vie familiale, prise en charge et emploi. Ce maintien de l'équilibre est assuré par un travail complexe de coordination, de médiation, de négociation, lequel est déterminé par un ensemble de facteurs, de conditone et d'éléments de contexte.

Keywords

CaregivingEmploymentCaregivers.Aideemploiaidants.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , printemps/Spring 1999 , pp. 84 - 106
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Archbold, P.G. (1980). Impact of parent caring on middle-aged offspring. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 6(2), 78–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Archbold, P.G. (1983). Impact of parent-caring on women. Family Relations, 32, 39–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aronson, J. (1991). Dutiful daughters and undemanding mothers: Contrasting images of giving and receiving care in middle and later life. In C. Baines, P. Evans and S. Neysmith (Eds.), op.cit.Google Scholar
Baines, C., Evans, P., & Neysmith, S. (1991). Women's caring: Feminist perspectives on social welfare. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Inc.Google Scholar
Bardin, L. (1977). L'analyse de contenu, Paris, France: PUF.Google Scholar
Brody, E.M., Kleban, M.H., Johnsen, P.T., Hoffman, C., & Schoonover, C.B. (1987). Work status and parent care: A comparison of four groups of women. The Gerontologist, 27(2), 201–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brody, E.M., & Schoonover, C.B. (1986). Patterns of parent-care when adult daughters work and when they do not. The Gerontologist, 26, 372–381.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Canadian Study of Health and Aging (1994). Patterns of caring for persons with dementia in Canada. Canadian Journal on Aging, 13(4), 470–487.Google Scholar
CAKNET. Work and Eldercare Eesearch Group. (1993). Work and family: The survey. University of Guelph: The Canadian Aging Research Network.Google Scholar
CINBIOSE. (1993). Concilier l'inconciliable, étude exploratoire sur la conciliation des responsibilités familiales et professionnelles dans trois milieux de travail. Montreal: University of Quebec at Montreal.Google Scholar
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (1988). Unending work and care, managing chronic illness at home. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Inc.Google Scholar
Corbin, J., & Strauss, A. (1990). Making arrangements: The key to home care. In Gubrium, J. et Sankar, A. (Eds.), The home care experience. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Cresson, G. (1991). La santé, production invisible des femmes. Recherches féministes, 4(1), 31–44.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finch, J., & Groves, D. (1983). A labour of love: Women, work and caring. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.Google Scholar
Gibeau, J.L., Anastats, J.L., & Larsen, P.J. (1987). Breadwinners, caregivers and employers: New alliances in an aging America. Employee Benefits Journal, 12(3), 6–10.Google Scholar
Glaser, B.G., & Strauss, A.L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine.Google Scholar
Glazer, N. (1990). The home as workshop: Women as amateur nurses and medical care providers. Gender and Society, 4(4), 479–499.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gottlieb, B.H., Kelloway, E.K., & Fraboni, M. (1994). Aspects of eldercare that place employes at risk. The Gerontologist, 34(6), 815–821.Google Scholar
Greenhalgh, C. (1983). Participation and hours of work for married women in Great Britain. In L. Rimmer, The economics of work and caring, in Finch and Groves (1983), op. cit.Google Scholar
Guay, J. (1984). L'intervenant professionnel face à l'aide naturelle. Chicoutimi: Gaëtan Morin.Google Scholar
Guberman, N., Maheu, P., & Maillé, C. (1991). Et si l'amour ne suffisait pas. Familles, femmes, adultes dépendants. Montreal: Les Éditions du Remue-Ménage.Google Scholar
Guberman, N., Maheu, P., & Maillé, C. (1993). Travail et soins. Montreal: Les éditions du Remue-Ménage.Google Scholar
Gubrium, J., & Sankar, A. (1990). The home care experience. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Hooyman, N. (1990). Women as caregivers of the elderly: Implications for social welfare policy and practice. In Biegel, D. & Blum, A. (Eds.), Aging and caregiving: Theory, research, and policy. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Horowitz, A. (1985). Sons & daughters as caregivers to older parents: Differences in role performance and consequences. The Gerontologist, 25(6), 612–617.Google Scholar
Keefe, J.M. (1993). Theoretical frameworks of work and eldercare for women: Separation versus synthesis, Integrative Paper Requirement for the Ph.D program in Family Relations and Human Development, Department of Family Studies, University of Guelph.Google Scholar
Lang, A.M., & Brody, E.M. (1983). Characteristics of middle-aged daughters and help to their elderly mothers. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 45(1), 193–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lesemann, F., & Chaume, C. (1989). Familles-Providence: La part de l'État. Montreal: Les Éditions Saint-Martin.Google Scholar
Maheu, P., & Guberman, N. (1992). Familles, personnes adultes dépendantes etaide “naturelle”: entre le mythe et la réalité. Revue internationale d'action communautaire, 28/68, 51–62.Google Scholar
Martin Matthews, A., & Campbell, L.D. (1995). Gender roles, employment and informal care. In Arber, S. & Ginn, J. (Eds.), Connecting gender and ageing: Sociological reflections. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.Google Scholar
Martin Matthews, A., & Rosenthal, C.J. (1993). Balancing work and family in an aging society: The Canadian experience. In Maddox, G.L. and Lawton, P. (Eds.), Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics: Focus on Kinship, Aging and Social Change, 13, 96–119.Google Scholar
McDaniel, S.A. (1993). Caring and sharing: Demographic aging, family and the state. In Hendricks, J. & Rosenthal, C.J. (Eds.), The remainder of their days: Domestic policy and older families in the United States and Canada. NewYork: Garland.Google Scholar
McKinnon, A., & Odynak, D. (1991). Elder care, employees and employers: Some Canadian evidence. A discussion paper prepared for the demographic review secretariat, Health and Welfare Canada. Population Research Laboratory, The University of Alberta, 44p.Google Scholar
Miles, M.B., & Huberman, A.M. (1984). Qualitative data analysis (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Ministère des affaires sociales. (1985). Un nouvel âge à partager. Québec: publications du Québec.Google Scholar
Mutschier, P.H. (1993). Work constraints among employed caregivers. Journal of Aging and Social Policy, 5(4), 23–49.Google Scholar
National Advisory Council on Aging. (1986). Toward a community support policy for Canadians. Ottawa: NACA.Google Scholar
Neal, M.B., Chapman, N.J., Ingersoll-Dayton, B., & Emlen, A.C. (1993). Balancing work and caregiving for children, adults and elder. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Noelker, L.S., & Poulshock, S.W. (1982). Cited in Stone et al., op. cit.Google Scholar
Saillant, F. (1991). Les soins en péril: entre la nécessité et l'exclusion. Recherches féministes, 4(1), 11–29.Google Scholar
Scharlach, A.E., & Boyd, S.L. (1989). Caregiving and employment: Results of an employee survey. The Gerontologist, 29, 382–387.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Scharlach, A.E., Lowe, B.F., & Schneider, E.L. (1991). Eldercare and the workforce: Blueprint for action. Lexington, MA: Lexington BooksGoogle Scholar
Sivley, P.J., & Fiegeners, J. (1984). Family caregivers of the elderly: Assistance provided after termination of chore services. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 5(1/2), 23–34.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. (1990). Women in Canada, a statistical report. Cat. No. 89–503E, Ottawa: Statistics CanadaGoogle Scholar
Stephens, S.A., & Christiansen, J.B. (1986). Informal care of the elderly. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.Google Scholar
Stoller, E.D. (1983). Parental caregiving by adult children. Journal of Marriage and the Family, November, 851–857.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stone, R., Cafferta, G.L., & Sangl, J. (1987). Caregivers of the frail elderly: A national profile. The Gerontologist, 27(5), 616–626.Google Scholar
Stone, R.I., & Short, P.F.(1990). The competing demands of employment and informal care to disabled elders. Medical Care, 28, 513–526.Google Scholar
Strauss, A.L. (1987). Qualitative analysis for social scientists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Stryckman, J., & Paré-Morin, L. (1987). Stratégies du maintien à domicile: l'apport des aidants naturels. Le Gérontophile, 9(2), 12–14.Google Scholar
Sweeney, J. (1989). Long term care for elderly and people with physical disabilities. Statement to the Ontario Legislature by the Minister of Community and Social Services, Toronto.Google Scholar
Ungerson, C. (1990). Gender and caring: Work and welfare in Britain and Scandinavia. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf.Google Scholar
Vandelac, L. et al., (1985). Du travail et de l'amour. Montreal: Éditions Saint-Martin.Google Scholar