Neither hearth nor home: the (un)making of elder care responsibility

Abstract

Using framing analysis and textual analysis methodologies, this research identifies the major themes or meaning systems that two elite national newspapers and the Administration on Aging (AoA) applied to elder care responsibility. The two newspapers yielded 235 published items dealing with various aspects of elder care during the 10-year period from 1987 to 1997. Elder care proved to be an elusive concept for the national news media, which are better suited to cover events rather than issues. Two dominant themes emerged from the news texts: the burden of elder care on the US economy, and the role of personal obligations in undertaking care responsibilities of the elderly. The former theme resonates in policy discussions relating to the Family Medical Leave Act. The primary theme in the AoA's elder care campaign was the benefits of family care versus institutionalized care. Together these themes provide insight into the cultural expectations associated with care responsibilities of the elderly.