Beyond the definition of formal care: Informal care arrangements among older swedes who are not family

Abstract

This study explores care practices of older people outside formal care and without appealing to predefined relationships. We conducted interviews with 30 independentliving men and women aged 67-93 in three municipalities in Sweden. The interviews explored how they cared for themselves and other older people who were not family. Interviews were conducted between December 2017 and May 2018 and later transcribed and analysed using grounded theory. Our paper presents one of the first studies on informal care practices among older people that looks beyond the definition of formal care to understand how such care complements formal care services.The findings show that older people participate in several care arrangements to care for themselves as well as for others. The arrangements feature different types of mutuality and include distant relations to other older people and larger more or less formalised groups. The findings highlight the importance of looking beyond conceptualisations of care based on understandings of formal care and specific relationships as a frame for understanding informal care. To promote older people's health by cultivating and supporting older people's care for themselves and others, research and healthcare practitioners need to explore and acknowledge the significance and complexity of older people's everyday care practices. K E Y W O R D Scare arrangements, caregivers, grounded theory, Informal care, older people

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“…When analysing the results according to the different independent subscales of the MBI-HSS questionnaire, they were found to be in line with other studies [ 30 , 31 ] (both carried out in China) in which the female sex presents a greater risk of “emotional exhaustion” compared to the male sex, due to the fact that women carry a greater number of family responsibilities and burdens [ 11 ], so that women bear the fundamental burden of the care system, both formally and informally [ 32 ]. However, men may suffer more long-term emotional distress, as men generally experience distress later in life than women [ 14 ].…”

Determinants of informal care‐giving in various social relationships in the Netherlands

“…There are also indications that older people are increasingly receiving more emotional and practical support within the framework of friend‐based networks (Suanet & Antonucci, 2017 ). The contribution made by non‐kin to the total of informal care is not yet clear (see, e.g., Siira et al., 2019 ). A great deal is already known about which factors promote or hinder the provision of informal care (see below), but not yet about the associated differences as a function of social relationship (kin and non‐kin).…”

Older adults’ provision of informal care and support to their peers – A cornerstone of swedish society: Demographic characteristics and experiences of social isolation

“…Family members provide the majority of informal care for older adults in Sweden [4,5]. However, the informal care panorama of older adults also includes caring relationships with peers, such as friends and neighbours, who may also be "older" [6][7][8]. By providing a broad range of assistance to friends and neighbours, peers often emerge as a central part of attempts to counter social isolation among older adults.…”

“…Peers, such as friends and neighbours, may provide a broad range of assistance to older adults depending on the context [11, 18, 19]. In Sweden, it has been found that informal care between older adults and their peers involves social activities, such as visiting others, practical activities, such as assisting with shopping or providing transport, activities related to care needs and health problems, such as keeping an eye on another person or talking about illness and death, and organised activities, such as volunteering to help other older adults [7]. Practical activities and social activities are described in studies on informal care between older adults and friends and neighbours of different ages in Canada [11], the US [6] and the UK [18, 20].…”

“…informal care, older adults, peer support, social isolation providing transport, activities related to care needs and health problems, such as keeping an eye on another person or talking about illness and death, and organised activities, such as volunteering to help other older adults [7]. Practical activities and social activities are described in studies on informal care between older adults and friends and neighbours of different ages in Canada [11], the US [6] and the UK [18,20].…”