Scheduled for AAHE Research Coordinating Board: Professional Poster Session, Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, National Association Poster Sessions


Hispanic Acculturation May Affect Caregiving of Elders

Pamela Doughty, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX

Family caregiving is valued at $257 million dollars, with over 224 million people caring for older adults at the last governmental survey in 2002. Historically, Hispanic/Latinos and African Americans are more likely than White non-Hispanics to care for their elderly. As many Hispanic/Latinos and African Americans are more likely than White non-Hispanics to be below the poverty level, home caregiving reduces the costs of Medicaid for institutionalization. Not only is home caregiving a cost savings, but people who are cared for in the home are less likely to become institutionalized. There is a new generations of caregivers emerging. Attitude Toward Caregiving (ATC) questionnaire was given to 230 people between 18-80+ years of age with 111 males and 119 females, 173 Hispanic/Latinos, 21 African Americans and 36 White non-Hispanics, of those 33 spoke Spanish at home, 65 spoke Spanish/English at home and 132 spoke English at home. The language question was to determine the level of acculturation. The results indicated that there was a significant difference between those who are willing to give up a job to be near family who need caregiving between those who spoke Spanish at home (M = 2.94) and those who spoke English (M=2.49, MD = .568, p ≤ .022). There was a significant difference between males (M = 3.16) and females (M=2.97, p ≤ .035) on whether they should remain close to family in order to provide caregiving; males (M = 1.83) and females ( M = 2.19, p ≤ .00) on whether children should not be expected to do tasks for parents; males (M = 3.68) and females (3.30, p ≤ .00) on whether it is a child's duty to do assist parents; males (M = 3.01) and females (3.18, p ≤ .024) on paying a professional for caregiving is preferable. The results suggest that as Hispanics become more acculturated (Speak English only at home/ Spanish) fewer felt it was better to give up a job than pay for a professional to care for their elderly family. More men felt that they should live close to parents to provide care, should be expected to care for family, that it was a child's duty to give caregiving to elderly family and it was not preferable to pay a professional for assistance with caregiving. Since fewer men actually care for elderly family, maybe the reason that fewer females agreed with these statements.
Keyword(s): aging/older adult issues, multiculturalism/cultural diversity

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