From “Employer-Employee” to “Family of Choice”: The Development of the Relationship between Philippine Worker Immigrants and Elderly Care Recipients

Pnina Ron

doi:10.4236/aar.2015.42007

Abstract

The current study adds to the pool of findings regarding experiences of female Philippine work immigrants employed in elderly caregiving in Israel, as they cope with their role as caregivers. Based on an analysis of the qualitative interviews with 27 Philippine women, three themes emerged. The first is the manner in which these caregivers perceive the treatment and care they give their elderly employers, taking into account the initial stage of the professional relationship, the various types of support, and the employer-employee interactions. The second theme deals with the manner in which these caregivers perceive their role once the relationship with the elderly care recipient is established and the employer’s needs and preferences become familiar; that is, once there is a clear caregiver-client relationship. The third theme deals with the manner in which the caregivers perceive their relationship with their elderly employers and with the employers’ family members, and the way they believe their employer and family perceive their role as caregivers. This stage of the relationship they define as “family of choice”. The combination of the three themes presents a comprehensive picture of positive change in terms of the caregivers perception of their role, and a shift in the manner in which they perceive their employers: from a “source of income” to “parent”.

Highlights

In the 1980s, Israel’s Employment Services expert committee approved a decision to bring in work immigrantsHow to cite this paper: Ron, P. (2015) From “Employer-Employee” to “Family of Choice”: The Development of the Relationship between Philippine Worker Immigrants and Elderly Care Recipients
The question of what enabled these women to successfully respond to the global market’s demand for caregiving and nursing can be considered by referring to female gender stereotypes and the cultural values, which traditionally lead women to fill the role of caregivers
27 participants who were found suitable for the purposes of the study were selected from a group of 230 work immigrants employed as caregivers for the elderly

Summary

Introduction

In the 1980s, Israel’s Employment Services expert committee approved a decision to bring in work immigrantsHow to cite this paper: Ron, P. (2015) From “Employer-Employee” to “Family of Choice”: The Development of the Relationship between Philippine Worker Immigrants and Elderly Care Recipients. P. Ron to hold positions that could not be filled by the Israeli workforce, such as the field of personal and nursing care. While the demand for foreign workers in Western countries as well as in Israel increased, many women from the Philippines came to Israel as work immigrants in the field of personal and nursing care [1]-[3]. In Western countries, women’s entrance into the workforce and the modern way of life that requires young people to devote many hours to their job and to adjust to the requirements of the job has detracted from the family’s ability to support its elderly members. An increase in purchase power enables families to “purchase” services, which can relieve them of part of the burden of caring for elderly family members [4] [5]

Methods

Results

Conclusion