Family Care, Independent Living and Ethnicity

Abstract

The UK's national population structure, in line with most Western societies, is ageing rapidly. The combination of falling fertility and increasing longevity is having an impact on family structures and resultant relationships, with the emergence of long vertical multi-generational families replacing the former laterally extended family forms. This is occurring at a time when UK government policy is placing increasing reliance on families to provide health and social care and support for the growing number of frail older people. While there has been extensive research on family care within the majority white population, there is less understanding of the elder family care provision for the UK's growing older ethnic population. This paper discusses the changing demographics, new government policy on promoting independent living and its implications for family care provision, and reviews our current understanding of family care and support for older people within the UK’s varied ethnic minority families.

Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, and Frailty in Older Migrant Women From Ethnically Diverse Backgrounds: A Mixed-Methods Study

“…Previous qualitative studies conducted in older adults from minority backgrounds have largely recognized that the social component of PA may be even more important than the physical health benefits such as managing chronic diseases (Caperchione et al, 2009;Horne, Skelton, Speed & Todd, 2012). Similarly, maintaining independence is a major motivator in engaging in regular PA and it is particularly important in this population, as some women have familial expectations that are different from those of Western countries (Harper & Levin, 2005). Namely, moving older adults into nursing homes as they age is considered culturally unacceptable according to some of the participants in the present study.…”

Filling the Parenting Gap? Grandparent Involvement With U.K. Adolescents

“…Statistics show that men and women may spend longer being grandparents (average 25 years) than being parents with child responsibilities (18 years; Harper & Levin, 2005). At the same time, a growing proportion of mothers now work.…”

Transactional Models

“…Harper and Levin (2005), however, demonstrate that this norm may apply with less force to grandparents of lone parent families where grandparents can become replacement partners (i.e., confidante, guide, and facilitator), and replacement parents (i.e., listener, teacher, and disciplinarian). It is also possible that where parents are working long hours, grandparents may be undertaking roles that are more traditionally associated with parents ).…”

“…This shift from a high-mortality/ high-fertility to a low-mortality/low-fertility society has resulted in an increase in the number of generations alive at one time and a decrease in the number of children within each generation. Thus, the number of individuals who will live part of their lives as members of three and four generation families is increasing (Harper and Levin 2005). In addition, with growing numbers of dual-worker households and higher rates of family breakdown, grandparents are now playing an increasing role in their grandchildren's lives (Franklin 1997).…”