Background: There has been a lack of research examining the type of care provided by immigrants to elderly people in Spain. Aim: To carry out an exploratory analysis of the type of care provided by immigrant caregivers to elderly people in their own homes. Methodology: A cross sectional study was developed based on 24 foreign-born women working in private households caring for dependent elderly people in the Autonomous Community of Madrid in 2008. Main results: All caregivers carried out housework, 87% of them accompanying duties, 79% personal help and 75% nursing care. Caregivers devoted 3.77 hours daily to housework, 2.27 to accompanying duties, 1.30 hours to personal help at home and 0.60 hours to nursing care. Those reporting less autonomy levels in mobility and care received more time in nursing care and personal help than the rest. Conclusion: Care provided to elderly people at home by their relatives, public institutions and employed immigrants responds to similar demands and could be potentially interchangeable. Immigrant caregivers act as connection of the dependent person with his/her social network and with the institution providing health and social services. Larger samples are required to deepen and better our insights. © 2010 Fundación Index.

immigrants aged Dependency Home care services Caregivers

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