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Familial Support of the Elderly in a Rural Mennonite Community

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

John B. Bond Jr. ,
Carol D.H. Harvey  and
Elizabeth A. Hildebrand
John B. Bond Jr.
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
Carol D.H. Harvey
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
Elizabeth A. Hildebrand
Affiliation:
University of Manitoba
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Abstract

With an increasing number of persons entering old age and having longer life expectancies, there has been a consequent alteration of family dynamics, such that middle aged individuals frequently provide support to their older parents. At the same time, the middle aged person is often in the midst of raising his or her own children, attending to personal aspirations, and enacting the role of spouse.

This study investigated support from middle aged offspring to elderly parents in a rural Mennonite community. Information on the expectation for and consequences of support to parents was gathered from pastors and middle aged family members in two Mennonite conferences, as well as from a Lutheran sample with a similar historical background.

Pastoral interviews showed no differences in doctrinal beliefs regarding familial care of parents, although the institutional church responses varied. Middle aged offspring in the Lutheran congregation reported less involvement in religious practice than did members of either Mennonite congregation. Burden of caring for elderly parents felt by middle aged people showed no statistically significant differences between congregations; however, greater reported religiosity was associated with lesser burden.

Résumé

Les fibres mêmes de la famille semblent présentement atteintes à cause de l'augmentation du nombre des personnes qui atteignent le troisième âge et qui vivent plus longtemps. En effet, plusieurs personnes d'âge moyen sont appelées à prendre la charge de leurs parents tout en éduquant leurs propres enfants, en échelonnant leurs buts et leurs objectifs et en jouant le rôle de conjoint.

Cette étude est consacrée au soutien qu'accorde cette tranche d'âge moyen de la société aux parents, dans une communauté rurale mennonite. L'ouvrage est basé sur des données recueillies par des pasteurs et des parents d'âge moyen dans deux communautés mennonites ainsi que dans un petit secteur luthérien, religion qui embrasse une tradition culturelle analogue. Les chercheurs se sont concentrés sur les causes et les conséquences d'un tel soutien parental.

Les entrevues pastorales n'ont révélé aucune différence philsophique au niveau des soins parentaux tandis que les réponses provenant du clergé étaient variées. La progéniture luthérienne a signalé une participation moins prononcée dans les activités religieuses que son homologue mennonite. Aucune distinction de statistique n'à été relevée entre ces groupes au niveau du poids ressenti face à ces responsabilités, Toutefois, les plus fervents ont mentionné que leur fardeau semblait plus facile à supporter.

Keywords

religionfamilyruralelderly
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , Spring/printemps 1987 , pp. 7 - 17
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1987

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