Suen Johan, Thang Leng Leng
Department of Sociology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Department of Japanese Studies, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
J Cross Cult Gerontol. 2018 Jun;33(2):163-181. doi: 10.1007/s10823-017-9334-4.
Informal caregivers play an increasingly important and demanding role in providing and ensuring long-term care for elders. To date, few studies have qualitatively explored the challenges and coping strategies adopted by informal caregivers of dependent elders from lower-income households in Singapore. Based on data from in-depth interviews with 19 respondents, this study provides detailed and nuanced accounts of the lived experiences of low-income informal caregivers. The strains associated with the scarcity of resources among low-income caregivers are compounded by contextual challenges such as fractured familial relationships, role conflicts, and perceived barriers in their institutional environment. To overcome these challenges, low-income caregivers resort to a mix of informal and formal sources of support. Suggested improvements for policies and service provision to address the vulnerabilities of low-income caregivers will also be discussed in light of current gaps.
非正式照顾者在为老年人提供和确保长期护理方面发挥着越来越重要且要求颇高的作用。迄今为止，很少有研究从质性角度探讨新加坡低收入家庭中依赖他人照顾的老年人的非正式照顾者所面临的挑战及采取的应对策略。基于对19名受访者的深入访谈数据，本研究详细且细致入微地描述了低收入非正式照顾者的生活经历。低收入照顾者资源匮乏所带来的压力，因诸如家庭关系破裂、角色冲突以及在其机构环境中感受到的障碍等背景挑战而更加复杂。为克服这些挑战，低收入照顾者诉诸非正式和正式的支持来源。还将根据当前的差距讨论为解决低收入照顾者的脆弱性而对政策和服务提供提出的改进建议。
