Families' values and attitudes regarding responsibility for the frail elderly: implications for aging policy.
This study examines the norms and values associated with care to disabled and frail aging parents, in particular those with regard to the sharing of responsibilities for care between families and formal services, and this within three age cohorts in Quebec, Canada. It is based on a telephone interview of 1,315 people. Factor analysis yielded four factors: (1) family responsibility; (2) uncompromising family obligations; (3) acceptance of services; (4) distrust of services. Analyses of the data indicate that all three age cohorts consider that families have responsibilities for their aging family members, at the same time that they score very high on the acceptance of service scale. This article discusses these seemingly paradoxical results and their implications for aging policy.
Guberman
Nancy
N
School of Social Work, University of Quebec, Montreal, Quebec, H3C 3P8, Canada. guberman.nancy@uqam.ca
Lavoie
Jean-Pierre
JP
Fournier
Michel
M
Grenier
Lise
L
Gagnon
Eric
E
Belleau
Hélène
H
Vézina
Aline
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001290:Attitude; D002170:Canada; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011640:Public Policy; D012945:Social Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors