Social Engagement Care for Frail Older Persons: Desire for It and Provision by Live-In Migrant Caregivers

Jiska Cohen-Mansfield*, Hava Golander, Esther Iecovich, Barbara Jensen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objectives: To describe social engagement care (SEC) provided by live-in migrant caregivers for frail older adults compared with care recipients' and families' wishes for such care. Method: Interviews with care recipients, family members, and migrant caregivers assessed preferences for and provision of five types of SEC activities: knowing the older person as a person, knowing their main concerns, having personal conversations, going for walks, and sharing social or leisure activities. Results: Care recipients and family proxies reported a moderate desire for SEC from migrant caregivers, except for sharing leisure activities, for which there was only a slight preference. Migrant caregivers reported these practices at somewhat higher levels compared with the other respondents. Migrant caregivers' reports of practice show little relationship with care-recipients' preferences, but care recipients tended to perceive practice as agreeing with their own wishes. Discussion: It is important to include SEC as part of the role of live-in migrant caregivers of older persons. However, there is a need to differentiate among types of SEC and subsequently optimize the match between the care-recipient's wishes and needs and the actual care provided.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1062-1071
Number of pages10
JournalJournals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences
Volume74
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 21 Aug 2019

Funding

FundersFunder number
Minerva-Stiftung Foundation
Ministry of Senior Citizens in Israel
National Insurance Institute of Israel

    Keywords

    • Family proxies
    • Person-centered care
    • Preferences

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