Abstract
The Indian state of Kerala leads the demographic transition and characteristically showcases emigration of predominantly male adult children, leaving behind parents, spouses and children. When men emigrate, gendered contexts burden women, especially spouses and daughters-in-law, with caregiving duties including elder care. Employing the social exchange perspective and drawing on in-depth interviews of left-behind caregivers to older adults in emigrant households, we explore reciprocal motives, expectations and perceptions of burden. Findings resonate gendered expectations of care and social sanction that ensure women do much of the caregiving. Daughters-in-law sacrificed careers and endured separation from husbands to transition into caregiving roles, costs borne to effectuate their husband's filial role. Perceived non-reciprocity, unbalanced exchanges and unmet expectations increased perceptions of burden for caregivers. Temporary financial autonomy could hardly alleviate perceptions of burden among women caregivers who perceived emotional and functional support exchanges from husbands, older adults themselves or other family members as supportive.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 194-210 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Asian Population Studies |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 04-05-2018 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Demography
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Family caregiving for older adults : gendered roles and caregiver burden in emigrant households of Kerala, India. / Ugargol, Allen Prabhaker; Bailey, Ajay.
In: Asian Population Studies, Vol. 14, No. 2, 04.05.2018, p. 194-210.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Family caregiving for older adults
T2 - gendered roles and caregiver burden in emigrant households of Kerala, India
AU - Ugargol, Allen Prabhaker
AU - Bailey, Ajay
PY - 2018/5/4
Y1 - 2018/5/4
N2 - The Indian state of Kerala leads the demographic transition and characteristically showcases emigration of predominantly male adult children, leaving behind parents, spouses and children. When men emigrate, gendered contexts burden women, especially spouses and daughters-in-law, with caregiving duties including elder care. Employing the social exchange perspective and drawing on in-depth interviews of left-behind caregivers to older adults in emigrant households, we explore reciprocal motives, expectations and perceptions of burden. Findings resonate gendered expectations of care and social sanction that ensure women do much of the caregiving. Daughters-in-law sacrificed careers and endured separation from husbands to transition into caregiving roles, costs borne to effectuate their husband's filial role. Perceived non-reciprocity, unbalanced exchanges and unmet expectations increased perceptions of burden for caregivers. Temporary financial autonomy could hardly alleviate perceptions of burden among women caregivers who perceived emotional and functional support exchanges from husbands, older adults themselves or other family members as supportive.
AB - The Indian state of Kerala leads the demographic transition and characteristically showcases emigration of predominantly male adult children, leaving behind parents, spouses and children. When men emigrate, gendered contexts burden women, especially spouses and daughters-in-law, with caregiving duties including elder care. Employing the social exchange perspective and drawing on in-depth interviews of left-behind caregivers to older adults in emigrant households, we explore reciprocal motives, expectations and perceptions of burden. Findings resonate gendered expectations of care and social sanction that ensure women do much of the caregiving. Daughters-in-law sacrificed careers and endured separation from husbands to transition into caregiving roles, costs borne to effectuate their husband's filial role. Perceived non-reciprocity, unbalanced exchanges and unmet expectations increased perceptions of burden for caregivers. Temporary financial autonomy could hardly alleviate perceptions of burden among women caregivers who perceived emotional and functional support exchanges from husbands, older adults themselves or other family members as supportive.
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U2 - 10.1080/17441730.2017.1412593
DO - 10.1080/17441730.2017.1412593
M3 - Article
VL - 14
SP - 194
EP - 210
JO - Asian Population Studies
JF - Asian Population Studies
SN - 1744-1730
IS - 2
ER -