Life course pathways into intergenerational caregiving

Rodrigues, Ricardo (author), Filipovič Hrast, Maša (author), Kadi, Selma (author), Hurtado Monarres, Miriam (author), Hlebec, Valentina (author)

Objectives - We develop a framework for the analysis of pathways into intergenerational caregiving to older people provided by family members using life course concepts of key turning events in life, cumulative processes and linked lives within the family realm. Methods - Using Framework Analysis, we analyse semi-structured qualitative interviews from a sample of dyads (older cared-for adults and their main family carers comprised of children, children-in-law and grandchildren) in Austria (N=24) and Slovenia (N=52). Data was collected in 2019 through purposive sampling, including dyads from a differentiated socio-economic background and gender. Results - The analysis reveals four non-exclusive pathways into caregiving. One pathway is associated with single turning events occurring in family or work trajectories of carers that expanded the possibilities for caregiving later in life. A second pathway referred to cumulative processes that later influenced transitions into caregiving, such as personal biographies marked by weak labour market attachment. Another cumulative pathway, exclusive to caregiving, is characterized by continued and sustained exchanges of support within families that cement reciprocal ties that underpin caregiving at later stages. In the fourth pathway, life trajectories of siblings, but also family relationships and conflicts constrained carers into their role. Discussion - Decisions regarding caregiving within families can be best understood as processes, linked to developments in other trajectories in carers’ lives, as much as to internal family dynamics and relationships. Becoming a carer may be itself the result of intertwined accumulated vulnerabilities, as well as cumulative exchanges within families.

• Language: English
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 05.02.2022
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: Str. 1305-1314
• Numbering: Vol. 77, no. 7
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-138617
• UDC: 364
• ISSN on article: 1758-5368
• DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac024
• COBISS.SI-ID: 97104643
• Publication date in RUL: 03.08.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: The journals of gerontology. Psychological sciences and social sciences
• Shortened title: J. geront., Ser. B Psychol. sci. soc. sci.
• Publisher: Gerontological Society of America
• ISSN: 1758-5368
• COBISS.SI-ID: 518524185

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 03.08.2022

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: J5-8235-2017
• Name: Exploring and understanding welfare state determinants of care provision for older people in the community in Slovenia and Austria