How Extended is the Extended African-American Family? The Case of Family Caregiving to Older African-Americans

Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, Sharon Wallace Williams, Paula Goodwin and Theresa Cooper

IPR working papers from Institute for Policy Resarch at Northwestern University

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to identify, describe, and explain extended family caregiving networks that African-American families use to provide care to elderly family members. The extended network was conceptualized to include four dimensions: different kinds of kin and non-kin, different types of caregivers, a caregiver substitution process, and different caregiving structures.

This study used a probability sample of 330 caregivers that included 187 primary caregivers that were connected to 79 secondary caregivers, and 49 tertiary caregivers. Fifteen tertiary-only caregivers that were not connected to other caregivers were also in the study. These caregivers provided care to 202 older African-Americans. Caregivers wer mostly blood kin, some chosen kin, and a few non-kin. More than 80% of all caregivers indicated a need to have caregiver substitutes available in the network. The availability of caregiver substitutes was greatest for primary caregivers as compared to other caregivers. Caregivers created distinct caregiving structures that were primarily collectivist as opposed to individualistic. These structures included (1) primary, secondary, and tertiary, (2) primary and secondary, (3) primary and tertiary; (4) primary only, (5) tertiary-only.

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wop:nwuipr:00-3

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