Journal of Gerontological Social Work
Volume 48, Issue 3-4, 2007, Pages 439-455

Filipinas as residential long-term care providers: Influence of cultural values, structural inequity, and immigrant status on choosing this work (Article)

Browne C.V. , Braun K.L. , Arnsberger P.
  • a [Affiliation not available]
  • b [Affiliation not available]
  • c [Affiliation not available]

Abstract

This exploratory study investigated reasons why Filipinas in Hawai'i have become the primary caregivers of elders in residential care homes and if they thought their children would follow them in this profession. A random sample of 173 Filipina care home operators (CHO), of which 95% were first-generation immigrants, was interviewed using telephone survey methods. Data were collected: to profile caregivers; to identify motivations for becoming a care home operator; and to gauge if they or their children would continue in this line of work. The sample was composed of middle-aged Filipina CHO with training and experience in elder care who concurred that the job fit their cultural values. About a third also felt that this job was open to immigrants and helped them buy a house. Twenty percent or less felt discriminated against because of this work. Although half the sample felt that women were better caregivers than men, only 38% felt that caregiving was primarily the responsibility of women. Almost 90% planned to continue with this work, but only 12% said it was likely that their children or grandchildren would become CHO, supporting the notion that choosing this profession had less to do with cultural values and gender expectations than with economic opportunities available to the current cohort of CHO. Given these findings, Hawai'i's capacity to meet future residential long-term care needs is discussed. © 2007 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

Workforce development Elderly Geriatric foster care Longterm care Filipino Americans

Index Keywords

information processing Social Values cultural anthropology social psychology Long-Term Care psychological aspect long term care human middle aged home for the aged Homes for the Aged Aged ethnology health personnel attitude interview Attitude of Health Personnel United States Nursing Homes Career Choice Humans nursing home Asian Americans Asian American female Aged, 80 and over pilot study Article manpower adult migration Interviews Emigration and Immigration decision making Philippines Hawaii Pilot Projects Data Collection Culture

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-33846069655&doi=10.1300%2fJ083v48n03_10&partnerID=40&md5=b8f22716b189ddcbd2e00d60170f8206

DOI: 10.1300/J083v48n03_10
ISSN: 01634372
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English