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Contextual Challenges and the Mosaic of Support: Understanding the Vulnerabilities of Low-Income Informal Caregivers of Dependent Elders in Singapore

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.

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Key Information

Type of Reference
Jour
Type of Work
Journal article
Publisher
Springer Science+ Business Media
ISBN/ISSN
1573-0719
Publication Year
2018
Issue Number
2
Journal Titles
Journal Of Cross-Cultural Gerontology
Volume Number
33
Start Page
163
End Page
181