“This Life is Normal for Me”: A Study of Everyday Life Experiences and Coping Strategies of Live-in Carers in Taiwan

Abstract

Recruiting migrant live-in carers has become the main strategy to address the rapid increase in the number of older persons with intensive care needs in many parts of the developed world. This is also the case in northern Taiwan, where this study took place. Thirteen live-in carers from Indonesia and the Philippines were interviewed in the fall of 2019. In this article, we discuss their two main coping strategies: a) "accepting destiny", which refers to carers accepting their life and viewing their role as a live-in carer as a job that allowed them to meet their parents' expectations of financial support; and b) "connecting to significant others", which is the most important way carers found motivation to keep going. However, despite their coping strategies, working as a live-in carer was experienced as a challenging and precarious lifestyle. In the conclusion, we discuss how professional social workers in collaboration with decision-makers and non-governmental organizations in Taiwan could contribute to fostering a system that would support live-in carers in ways that allow them, and the older persons they care for, to thrive.

“We Tried to Take Care of Her, but it Got Too Exhausting”: A Study of the Transition From Family Carer to Employer

“…In most cases, this study also includes our reflection based on our interactions with the older person receiving care. This article is part of a larger research project ( Munkejord, Ness, & Gao, 2021 ; Munkejord, Ness, & Silan, 2021 ). To examine the transition from family carer to employer among Indigenous families in Taiwan with older family members that have extensive care needs we focused on the six interviews with employers with a Tayal background that were collected in the larger study.…”

Cisan and Malahang: Indigenous Older Adults’ Voices on Active Aging – Findings from a Qualitative Study in Taiwan

“…Nevertheless, at that stage, only a very low percentage of the Taiwanese population (Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike) has access to professional health care services, home-based care services, or nursing homes (Chou et al, 2015). Therefore, the primary solution for families with intensive-care needs, even in rural or indigenous parts of Taiwan, is to hire a migrant live-in carer (Munkejord, Ness, & Gao, 2021; Munkejord, Ness, & Silan, 2021). Moreover, public LTC services lately have included Adult Foster Care, which is supposed to become an alternative service for frail Indigenous older people to “age in place” in the village.…”