Fast Janet, Keating Norah, Otfinowski Pam, Derksen Linda
Department of Human Ecology, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
Can J Aging. 2004 Spring;23(1):5-19. doi: 10.1353/cja.2004.0003.
This paper tests assumptions often made by policy makers and practitioners that networks of family, friends, and neighbours are able to provide sustained care to frail elderly Canadians. Using national survey data, we examined characteristics of the care networks of 1,104 seniors living with a long-term health problem. Care networks were found to vary considerably in size, relationship composition, gender composition, age composition, and proximity, and these network characteristics were found to help explain variations in the types and amounts of care received. As a result, network characteristics that might place seniors at risk of receiving inadequate care (including small size and higher proportions of non-kin, male, and geographically distant members) were identified. These risk factors appear to be poorly reflected in most existing policy.
本文检验了政策制定者和从业者常常做出的假设，即家人、朋友和邻居网络能够为体弱的加拿大老年人提供持续照料。利用全国性调查数据，我们研究了1104名患有长期健康问题的老年人的照料网络特征。研究发现，照料网络在规模、关系构成、性别构成、年龄构成和亲近程度方面存在很大差异，并且这些网络特征有助于解释所接受照料的类型和数量的差异。结果，确定了可能使老年人面临照料不足风险的网络特征（包括规模小以及非亲属、男性和地理距离远的成员比例较高）。这些风险因素在大多数现有政策中似乎没有得到充分体现。
