Ageing and Family Dependency

Abstract

The ‘graying’ of Australia's population has generated much debate within government, demographic, health and social service circles in recent times. Current and projected shifts in population structure towards greater numbers of ‘dependent’ populations raise a number of complex issues in regard to resource allocation in both income support and service provision. Service issues revolve around questions of whether public or private provision will resolve the care issues for dependent elderly people. It is argued that contrary to popular opinion, family care is well entrenched within the framework of social care, and that the solution of community care, posited in relation to the rising levels of chronic illness and dependency within the elderly population, is actually an attempt to place more responsibility of care on to the family. It is further suggested that family care is, in fact, care by women who themselves are in a state of dependency. Citing evidence from a study conducted by the authors, the paper argues that family care imposes heavy burdens upon women and families and suggests that social policy should, firstly, actively bolster family care through the provision of supportive and supplementary services; and secondly, broaden its intent by exploring other options of care for elderly people. The latter response is important because without it, family care will only help to reinforce and sustain the dependent status of women.

The contribution of children to informal care: a Delphi study

“…The interviews with young carers in the study by Aldridge & Becker (1993) indicate that while some children who have caring responsibilities receive support from statutory authorities, in many cases this is not forthcoming, or is less than that which the children themselves feel is appropriate. Little is known of the longer-term impact of caring by children (Jenkins & Wingate 1994), but Kinnear & Graycar (1984) note that the quality of life of long-term carers is reduced, while Reinhard reports (1994) that carers suffer feelings of stigma, which can be reduced by professional support. Given the emotional content of some of the caring relationships reported here, further work is required in this area, and studies of 'caring for the carers' need to be aware that children may be a particularly vulnerable group of care-givers.…”

Factors Affecting Sons' and Daughters' Caregiving to Older Parents

“…In most studies, middle-aged care providers are located through formal serv-ice agencies which are providing some form of service to the care providers' parent (Cantor, 1983;Horowitz, 1985;Kinnear & Graycar, 1984). The majority of elderly and their caregivers, however, have little contact with formal service agencies (Barer & Johnson, 1990).…”

“…Second, research has used samples of involved caregivers (usually daughters) rather than caregivers in the general population (Baruch & Barnett, 1983;Nissel, 1984). Third, the sex of the caregiver has typically not been the variable of primary consideration (Archbold, 1983;Kinnear & Graycar, 1984).…”

Australian Literature in Social Gerontology: A Content Analysis of Trends Since 1980

“…The current policy literature, for example, asks questions about the population of residential institutions (Howe andPreston, 1984, 1985); the nature of long term care (Howe. 1983); variations in the use of nursing home care (Rhys Hearn and Hearn, 1986); gender injustice in aged care (Kinnear and Graycar, 1984); and issues in income support (Shaver, 1984). While there can be no doubt that this literature lays a solid foundation, the theoretical texture of social policy research in aged care could be greatly enhanced by investigating more closely the dominant interests of providers, managers and the State in the Australian aged care industry (Hicks, 1986) and studying the interplay between welfare politics and the development of services for the aged.…”