Abstract
This article describes thematic findings that emerged from an in-depth analysis of interview data collected from 44 informal caregivers in East Los Angeles, California. The research question addressed in this paper is “How do Mexican-origin women describe becoming oriented to or familiarized with the caregiving role and its associated responsibilities?” A cultural psychological perspective guided the study, which used a thematic analysis approach. Two main themes emerged from the data: (a) caregiving comes from within, and (b) caregiving is cultivated through early and continuous informal socialization. Women viewed caregiving as something that was unique to their character. Some women described having a natural ability or affinity for caregiving, and others described internal motivations for becoming caregivers. Adoption of the caregiver role occurred over time, often over the course of many years. The socialization process was gendered such that modeling behaviors and care expectations were directed at women in the family rather than men. Our findings suggest that the transition into the caregiving role is a complex process that can vary considerably across family and cultural contexts. The nature of caregiving motives and the timing of caregivers’ socialization to the caregiving role have implications for the caregiving experience and caregiver outcomes.
Highlights
7.6 million Latino adults in the United States provide daily, informal care—defined as the physical, emotional, and financial support provided to ill, injured, or disabled individuals by unpaid and untrained individuals—to an adult, age 50 or older (Aneshensel, Pearlin, Mullan, Zarit, & Whitlatch, 1995; National Alliance for Caregiving & AARP Public Policy Institute, 2015)
The number of Latino adults enlisted to provide informal, elder care will likely increase in the future because the Latino population, age 65 and older, is projected to become the largest racial/ethnic minority in this age group by 2060 (Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics, 2016)
We used the cultural psychological perspective as a frame for understanding how Mexican-origin caregivers become oriented to the caregiving role and the motives that underlie their adoption of the role
Summary
7.6 million Latino adults in the United States provide daily, informal care—defined as the physical, emotional, and financial support provided to ill, injured, or disabled individuals by unpaid and untrained individuals—to an adult, age 50 or older (Aneshensel, Pearlin, Mullan, Zarit, & Whitlatch, 1995; National Alliance for Caregiving & AARP Public Policy Institute, 2015). The context of care is an important influence with respect to caregivers’ experiences and appraisals of caregiving In their meta-analysis of 116 empirical studies, Pinquart and Sörensen (2005) found that ethnic minority caregivers were younger, of a lower socioeconomic status, provided more care, and had stronger beliefs regarding filial obligation relative to their White caregiving counterparts. Latino caregivers, like their non-Hispanic White counterparts, have been found to be predominantly female and, on average, younger than non-Latino caregivers (Evercare & National Alliance for Caregiving, 2008). Intrinsic motives refer to caregiving inspired by an inherent, internalized drive to provide care, while extrinsic motives refer to caregiving inspired by external pressures and imposed social values (Quinn et al, 2012; Romero-Moreno et al, 2011)
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