The Blessings and the Curses of Filial Piety on Dignity at the End of Life: Lived Experience of Hong Kong Chinese Adult Children Caregivers

Abstract

This study critically examines the evolving nature of filial piety and the role that it plays in the contemporary experience of "living and dying with dignity" among Hong Kong Chinese families facing the end of life. Meaning-oriented interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of 15 adult-children caregivers, ages 30 to 62, to elicit their narratives and stories in caring for a dying elderly parent. Qualitative content analysis reveals that although traditional filial beliefs provided motivation for family caregiving, the regrets of unfulfilled filial responsibilities create emotional distance 277 278 C. L. W. Chan et al. (versus authority relationship), mutual support (versus complete obedience), compassionate duty (versus obligatory duty), emotional connection (versus task fulfillment), and appreciation and forgiveness (versus guilt and shame) in the promotion of dignity at the end of life. Policy and clinical implications are discussed. between parents and adult children, which acts as a cultural barrier for reconciliation and contentment at life's final margin. These findings underscore the importance of intergenerational dynamics and interactions in the transformation of filial attitudes and behaviors, highlighting the importance of reciprocal relationships

Filial Piety and Care for Elders: A Contested Confucian Virtue Reexamined

“…On the level of family dynamics, filial piety motivates many adult children to provide direct and indirect personal care and material supports to their elder parents; it also can enhance the overall sense of family cohesion, harmony, and intergenerational mutual support (G. Chan et al, 2012;Guo & Chi, 2010;Sung, 1998). Adult children who comply with expectations for parental care may receive parental appreciation, wider social approval, and even formal awards.…”

“…However, given widespread major upheavals of social change, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many adult children to fulfill parental and societal expectations for providing care and support, thus resulting in distress for all involved (Chan et al, 2012;Ikels, 2004). Social change trends include increased population mobility, urbanization, shrinking of family size, separation of households between elder parents and adult son and daughterin-law, and rapidly aging societies with increasing proportion of elders who have illness and disability compared to shrinking proportions of younger generations who can provide personal care and a tax base to support governmental programs (Chen, 2008;Gu & Liang, 2000;Lai, 2008;Lee & Kwok, 2005;Zhan, Feng, & Luo, 2008).…”

“…Gerontologists also explore filial piety as a significant factor in other cultures influenced by the Chinese Confucian heritage (Chan et al, 2012;Willigan & Lewis, 2006) such as Japan (Nimmagada & Balgopal, 2000;Takagi & Silverstein, 2006), Korea (Sung, 1998), Singapore (Rozario, 2012), Taiwan (Chen, 2008), and among East Asian-Americans and Canadians (e.g., Chang & Moon, 1997;Hsueh et al,2008;Ko & Lee, 2010;Kolb, 2007).…”

“…Many authors emphasize that filial piety includes a compulsory quality with such terms as duty, obligation, total obedience, total devotion, and selfsacrifice (e.g., Chan et al, 2012;G. Chung, 2001;Gu & Liang, 2000;Ng et al, 2002;Takagi & Silverstein, 2006;Zhan, 2006).…”

“…Filial piety is commonly portrayed as a fundamental moral principle of Chinese culture that shapes parent-child relationships and family dynamics by prioritizing family harmony, interdependency among members, mutual care, and the pooling of resources (Chan et al, 2012;Chou, 2011;Chow, 2006;Hashimoto & Ikels, 2005;Sung, 2000). Filial piety sets an expectation for children to respect and obey their parents (Chou, 2011;Wong, 2007).…”