Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T15:28:47.613Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Work and Eldercare: Reciprocity Between Older Mothers and Their Employed Daughters*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Janice M. Keefe  and
Pamela J. Fancey
Janice M. Keefe*
Affiliation:
Mount Saint Vincent University
Pamela J. Fancey
Affiliation:
Mount Saint Vincent University
*
Requests, etc., Janice M. Keefe Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Family Studies and Gerontology, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax NS B3M 2J6. [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This research broadens the understanding of the relationship between paid work and caregiving by including the contribution of the older “care recipient”. Using selected aspects of social exchange theory and a life course perspective, the importance of giving and receiving for caregivers and care recipients is explored through analyses of focus groups with employed women and interviews with their older mothers. The mothers and daughters focus on the time when they are most indebted to each other. The daughter's employment affects the type and value of contributions from care recipients. The mother's past assistance with housework and caring for children is greatly valued by the daughters. For care recipients, however, being reliant on a busy employee for their care has negative consequences. The mothers emphasize the current situation and under-estimate their past helping. Further research should consider the care recipient's perspective to obtain a broader understanding of the impact of the caregiver's employment in caregiving relationships.

Résumé

Cette recherche élargit la compréhension de la relation entre le travail rémunéré et la prestation de soins en incluant la vision du soigné. À partir de certains aspects de la théorie de l'échange social et de la perspective d'une vie, on a exploré l'importance de donner et de recevoir par le biais de groupes de discussion composés de femmes au travail et à l'aide d'interviews auprès des mères prestataires de soins. Les mères et les filles posent un regard sur une période où chacune se sent le plus redevable l'une envers l'autre. Le travail rémunéré de la fille influe sur le type et la valeur de la contribution aux yeux de la mère qui reçoit les soins. L'aide aux tâches domestiques et aux soins des enfants accordée dans le passé par les mères est grandement valorisée par les filles. Pour les mères soignées cependant, devoir compter sur une femme déjà sur le marché du travail entraîne des conséquences négatives. Les mères accordent une grande importance à la situation en cours et sous-estiment l'aide qu'elles ont autrefois apportée. D'éventuelles recherches devraient prendre en compte la perspective des prestataires de soins et l'on pourrait ainsi obtenir un meilleur tableau de l'impact de l'emploi rémunéré des soignantes sur leur relation avec les soignées.

Keywords

CaregivingReciprocityWork and EldercareIntergenerational RelationshipsWomenPrestation de soinsréciprocitéemploi et soins des ainé(e)srelations intergénérationnellesfemmes
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , Summer/Été 2002 , pp. 229 - 241
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2002

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.)

Footnotes

**The authors gratefully acknowledge support from The Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Max Bell Foundation, and Mount Saint Vincent University
*

Revised version of a paper presented at the Annual Scientific and Educational Meetings of the Canadian Association on Gerontology, Halifax, N.S., October 14–16, 1998

References

Abel, E.K. (1986). Adult daughters and care for the elderly. Feminist Studies, 12(3), 479–497.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aronson, J. (1994) “Old women and care: Choice or compulsion?” In Leonard, P. & Nichols, B. (Eds.), Gender, aging and the state (pp. 17–43). Montreal: Black Rose Books Ltd.Google Scholar
Barry, J. (1995). Care-need and care-receivers: Views from the margins. Women's Studies International Forum, 18(3), 361–374.Google Scholar
Bengtson, V.L. (1993). Is the “contract across generations” changing? Effects of population aging on obligations and expectations across age groups. In Bengtson, V.L. & Achenbaum, W.A. (Eds.), The changing contract across generations (pp. 3–23). New York: Aldine de Gruyter.Google Scholar
Bengtson, V.L., Burgess, E.O., & Parrot, T.M. (1997). Theory, explanation, and a third generation of theoretical development in social gerontology. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 52B(2), S72–S88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blieszner, R., & Mancini, J.A. (1987). Enduring ties: Older adults' parental role and responsibilities. Family Relations, 36, 176–180.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blieszner, R., Usita, P.M., & Mancini, J.A. (1996). Diversity and dynamics in late-life mother-daughter relationships. In Roberto, K. (Ed.), Relationships between women in later life. New York: Harrington Park Press.Google Scholar
Bonar, R. (1993). The experience of Italian women. In Leonard, P. & Nichols, B. (Eds.), Gender, aging and the state (pp. 89–132). Montreal: Black Rose Books.Google Scholar
Bromberg, E.M. (1983). Mother-daughter relationships in later life: The effect of quality of relationship on mutual aid. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 6(1), 75–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cantor, M.H., & Hirshorn, B. (1988). Intergenerational transfers within the family: Context-motivating factors and their implications for caregiving. Women-Health, 14(3–4), 39–51.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carruth, A.K. (1996). Development and testing of the caregiver reciprocity scale. Nursing Research, 45(2), 92–97.Google Scholar
Chappell, N. (1992) Social support and aging. Toronto: Butter-worths.Google Scholar
Cooney, T., & Uhlenberg, P. (1992). Support from parents over the life course: The adult child's perspective. Social Forces, 71(1), 63–84.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cox, E.O., & Dooley, A.C. (1996). Care-receivers' perception of their role in the care process. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 26(1/2), 133–152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cranswick, K. (1997). Canada's caregivers. Canadian Social Trends, Winter, 2–6.Google Scholar
Davey, A., & Eggebeen, D.J. (1998). Patterns of inter-generational exchange and mental health. Journals of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 53B(2), 86–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davey, A., & Norris, J. (1998). Social networks and exchange norms across the adult life span. Canadian Journal on Aging, 17(2), 212–233.Google Scholar
Dwyer, J.W., Lee, G.R., & Jankowski, T.B. (1994). Reciprocity, elder satisfaction, and caregiver stress and burden: The exchange of aid in the family caregiving relationship. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 35–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eggebeen, D.J., & Davey, A. (1998). Do safety nets work? The role of anticipated support in times of need. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 60, 939–950.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Finch, J. (1987). Family obligations and the life course. In Bryman, A., Bytheway, B., Allat, P., & Keil, T. (Eds.), Rethinking the life cycle (pp. 155–169). London: MacMillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
George, L.K., & Gold, D.T. (1991). Life course perspectives on intergenerational and generational connections. Marriage and Family Review, 16(1-2), 67–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerstel, N., & Gallagher, S.K. (1993). Kinkeeping and distress: Gender, recipients of care, and work-family conflict. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 55, 598–607.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldscheider, F., (1997). Family relationships and life course strategies for the 21st century. In Dreman, S. (Ed.), The family on the threshold of the 21st Century: Trends and implications. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
Gottlieb, B., Kelloway, K., & Fraboni, M. (1994). Aspects of eldercare that place employees at risk. The Gerontologist, 34(6), 815–821.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenberg, J.S., & Becker, M. (1988). Aging parents as family resources. The Gerontologist, 28(6), 786–791.Google Scholar
Guberman, N., Maheu, P., & Maillé, (1993). Travail et soins aux proches dépendants. Montréal: Les Éditions du Remue-ménage.Google Scholar
Horowitz, A., & Shindelman, L.W. (1983). Reciprocity and affection: Past influences on current caregiving. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 5(3), 5–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keefe, J., & Fancey, P. (1998, May) Financial compensation versus community supports: An analysis of the effects on caregivers and care receivers. Ottawa: Knowledge and Dissemination Division, Health Canada.Google Scholar
Keefe, J., & Medjuck, S. (1997). Long term career costs as predictors of strain for employed female caregivers. Journal of Women and Aging, 9(3), 3–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kramer, B. (1997). Gain in the caregiving experience: Where are we? What next? The Gerontologist, 37(2), 218–232.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lee, G.R., & Ellithorpe, E. (1982). Intergenerational exchange and subjective well-being among the elderly. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 44(2), 217–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, G.R., Netzer, J.K., & Coward, R.T. (1994). Filial responsibility expectations and patterns of intergenerational assistance. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 56, 559–565.Google Scholar
MacRae, H. (1990). Older women and identity maintenance in later life. Canadian Journal on Aging, 9(3), 248–267.Google Scholar
Martin Matthews, A., & Keefe, J.M. (1995). Women, work, and care of the elderly: A Canadian perspective. In Phillips, J. (Ed.), Working carers: International perspectives on working and caring for older people (pp. 116–138). Aldershot: Avebury.Google Scholar
Martin Matthews, A., & Rosenthal, C. (1993). Balancing work and family in an aging society: The Canadian experience. In Maddox, G.L. & Lawton, M.P. (Eds.), Annual review of gerontology and geriatrics: Kinship issues (pp. 96–119). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Midlarsky, E., & Kahana, E. (1994). Altruism in later life. Thousand Oaks: Sage.Google Scholar
Mitchell, B.A. (2000). The refilled ‘nest’: Debunking the myth of families in crisis. In Gee, E.M. & Gutman, G.M. (Eds.), The overselling of population aging: Apocalyptic demography, intergenerational challenges, and social policy (pp. 80–99). Toronto: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Morgan, D.L., Schuster, T.L., & Butler, E.W. (1991). Role reversals in the exchange of social support. Journal of Gerontology, 46(5), S278–S287.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Motenko, A.K., & Greenberg, S. (1995). Reframing dependence in old age: A positive transition for families. Social Work, 40(3), 382–390.Google Scholar
National Advisory Council on Aging. (1991). Parents not only get help from adult children - they also give help. Info-age, 3(2).Google Scholar
Neal, M.B., Chapman, N.J., Ingersoll-Dayton, B., & Emlen, A.C. (1993). Balancing work and caregiving for children, adults, and elders. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Norris, J.E., & Tindale, J.A. (1994). Among generations: The cycle of adult relationships. New York: W.H. Freeman and Co.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, C.J., & Gladstone, J. (1993). Family relationships and support in later life. Journal of Canadian Studies, 28(1), 122–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rossi, A.S., & Rossi, P.H. (1990). Of human bonding: Parent-child relations across the life span. New York: Walter de Gruyter.Google Scholar
Scharlach, A.E. (1994). Caregiving and employment: Competing or complementary roles? The Gerontologist, 34(3), 378–385.Google Scholar
Spitze, G., & Logan, J.R. (1992). Helping as a component of parent-child relations. Research on Aging, 14(3), 291–312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statistics Canada. (1998). Labour Force Participation Rates by Age and Sex, 1993–1997. Ottawa: http://www.statcan.ca/english/pgdb/people/labour/labor05.htmGoogle Scholar
Stevens, E.S. (1992). Reciprocity in social support: An advantage for the aging family. The Journal of Contemporary Human Services, 73(9), 533–541.Google Scholar
Stolar, E.G., MacEntee, M.I., & Hill, P. (1993). The elderly: Their perceived supports and reciprocal behaviours. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 9(3/4), 15–33.Google Scholar
Thompson, L., & Walker, A.J. (1984). Mothers and daughters: Aid patterns and attachment. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 46(2), 313–322.Google Scholar
Walker, A.J., & Pratt, C.C. (1991). Daughters' help to mothers: Intergenerational versus caregiving. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 53, 3–12.Google Scholar
Walker, A.J., Pratt, C.C., & Chun Oppy, N. (1992). Perceived reciprocity in family caregiving. Family Relations, 41, 82–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, A.J., Pratt, C., & Eddy, L. (1995). Informal caregiving to aging family members: A critical review. Family Relations, 44(4), 402–411.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walker, S., Martin, S., & Jones, L. (1992). The benefits and costs of caregiving and care receiving for daughters and mothers. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, 47(3), S130–S139.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zweibel, N., & Lydens, L. (1990). Incongruent perceptions of older adult/ caregiver dyads. Family Relations, 39(1), 63–67.CrossRefGoogle Scholar