Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T17:53:12.011Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sources of Instrumental Support for Dependent Elderly People in Three Parts of France

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2008

S. Curtis ,
D. Bucquet  and
A. Colvezt
S. Curtis
Affiliation:
Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, Mile End Road, London El 4NS.
D. Bucquet
Affiliation:
Institut National de la Santé et Recherche Médicale, Montpellier, France.
A. Colvezt
Affiliation:
Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, Mile End Road, London El 4NS.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The paper focuses on the provision of instrumental support provided to dependent elderly people in France, presenting information collected in social surveys conducted in three regions of the country. This information is considered in the light of the results of studies from other countries on instrumental social support to the dependent elderly which are reviewed. The data analysed included measures of the potential social network of the respondent based on household composition, marital status, number of living children and frequency of visits by family, friends and neighbours. Measures of instrumental support received were based on reported need for help for specific tasks, and the main source of help provided. The results reported here suggest that not all members of the dependent elderly person's social network were equally involved in providing instrumental help and supports a hierarchical model of the informal care structure with family members as the predominant source of help. The results also demonstrate the comparatively small role played by the formal caring services compared with the informal sector. The context of care for dependent elderly people in France is discussed and the implications of these results for social policy are considered.

Type
Research Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , September 1992 , pp. 329 - 354
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Antonucci, T. 1990. Personal characteristics, social support, and social behaviour. In Binstock, R. and George, L. (eds), Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, Third Edition. Academic Press. USA, 205–226.Google Scholar
Arber, S., Gilbert, B., Evandrou, M. 1988. Gender, household composition and receipt of domiciliary services by elderly disabled people. Journal of Social Policy, 17 (2), 153–175.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Audirac, P-A. 1985. Les Personnes Agées: de la vie de famille à l'isolement. Economic et Santé, 175, 39–45.Google Scholar
Barrera, M. 1986. Distinctions between social support concepts, measures and models. Am. J. Community Psychology, 54 (4), 413–445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barthélemy, M., Muxel, A., Percheron, A. 1986. Et si je vous dis famille… Revue Francaise de Sociologic, XXVII, 697–718.Google Scholar
Branch, L. and Jette, A. 1983. Elders' use of informal long-term care assistance. The Gerontologist, 23 (1), 51–56.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Braun, T. 1987. Commission Nationale D'Étude sur les Personnes Agées Dépendantes, Centre de Liaison D'Etude D'Information et de Recherche sur les Problèmes des Personnes Agées. Documentation Francaise, Paris.Google Scholar
Briancon, S., Blanchard, F., Cherrier-Baumann, A. 1985. Isolement, support social, événements de vie et état de santé. Rev. Epidem. et Sante Publ. 33, 44–65.Google Scholar
Brocklehurst, J. C., Morris, P., Andrews, K., Richards, B., Laycock, P. 1981. Social effects of stroke. Soc. Sci. Med.. 15A, 35–39.Google ScholarPubMed
Chappell, N. 1983. Informal support networks among the elderly. Research on Aging, 5 (1), 77–99.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cicirelli, V. 1983. A comparison of helping behaviour to elderly parents of adult children with intact and disrupted marriages. The Gerontologist, 23 (6), 619–625.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Colvez, A., Bucquet, B., Curtis, S., Pampalon, R. 1990. Approche Epidémiologique des Besoins en Services pour les Personnes Âgées Dépendantes, Institut National de la Santé et la Recherche Médicale; Centre de Jeune Formation 88–12, CHR Lapeyronie, Montpellier, France.Google Scholar
Cuturello, P. 1988. Entreaide Familiale. In Bon-valet, C. and Merlin, P. (eds). Transformation de la Famille et Habitat. Presses Universitaires de France, p. 149–168.Google Scholar
Delbes, C. 1987. La géographic des équipments et services en faveur des personnes âgées en France. Espace Populations Sociétes, 1987—1981,249–256.Google Scholar
Equal Opportunities Commission, 1982. Who cares for the carers? Opportunities for those caring for the elderly and handicapped. Equal Opportunities Commission, London.Google Scholar
Evandrou, M., Dale, A. and Gilbert, N. 1986. Who cares for the elderly? Family care provision and receipt of statutory services. In Phillipson, C., Bernard, M., and Strang, P. (eds), Dependency and Interdependency in Old Age. Theoretical Perspectives and Policy Alternatives. Croom Helm, London, p. 150–160.Google Scholar
Fleishman, R. and Shmueli, A. 1984. Patterns of informal social support of the elderly: An international comparison. Gerontologist. 24 (3), 303–352.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gautier, A. and Colvez, A. 1989. L'incapacité chez les personnes âgées en France et l'aide recue. In Colvez, A. and Gardent, H. (eds) Les Indicateurs d'Incapaciti Fonctionelle en Girontologie. Editions Centre Technique National d'Etudes et de Recherches sur les Handicaps et les Inadaptations/Institut National de la Santé et al Recherche Médicale, Paris.Google Scholar
Gilleard, C.J., Belfort, H., Gilleard, E., Whittick, J., Gledhill, K. 1984. Emotional distress amongst the supporters of the elderly mentally infirm. Br. J. Psychiat., 145, 172–177.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gilleard, C.J., Gilleard, E., Gledhill, K., Whittick, J. 1984. Caring for the elderly mentally infirm at home: a survey of the supporters. J. Epidem. Commun. Hlth., 38, 319–325.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Glendenning, C. 1990. Dependency and interdependency: the incomes of informal carers and the impact of social security. Journal of Social Policy, 19 (4), 467–97.Google Scholar
Gontcharoff, G. 1985. La Décentralisation; l'Action Sanitaire et Sociale (Vol IV). Syros, Paris.Google Scholar
Grand, A., Pous, J., Barthe, J-F., Bocquet, H., Albarede, J-L. 1989. Caractéristiques du réseau social. Gérontologie et Société, 48, 51–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Great Britain, Parliament. 1989. Caring for People, Cm 849, London, HMSO.Google Scholar
Henrard, J-C. 1988. Soins et Aides aux Personnes Agées, Description, Fonctionnement du Système Francais. Centre Technique National d'Etudes et de Recherches sur les Handicaps et les Inadaptations, Paris.Google Scholar
Johnson, C., Catalano, D. 1983. A longitudinal study of family supports to impaired elderly. The Gerontologist, 23 (6), 612–618.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Knipscheer, K. 1979. The primary relations in old age. Children, brothers/sisters, other relatives, friends and neighbours. In Dooghe, G. and Helande, J. (eds), Family Lfe on Old Age. Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, 119–138.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Laroque, P. 1962. Politique de la Vieillesse; Rapport de la Commission d'Etudes des Problèmes de la Vieillesse. Documentation Francaise, Paris.Google Scholar
Le, Disert D., Di, Palma M., Leonard, M-C., Henrard, J-C., Cassou, B., Ankri, J. 1989. Caractéristiques du réseau social et du support occasionnel des personnes âgées de 75 ans et plus. Gérontologie et Société, 48, 58–67.Google Scholar
Lion, R. 1980. Vieillir Demain. Documentation Francaise, Paris.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Longino, C. and Lipman, A. 1982. The married, the formerly married and the never married: support system differentials of older women in planned retirement communities. Int. J. of Aging and Human Dev., 15 (4), 285–297.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Matthews, S., Werkner, J., Delaney, P. 1989. Relative contributions of help by employed and non-employed sisters to their elderly parents. J. Gerontology, 44 (1), 836–844.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mindel, C., Wright, R. and Starrett, R. 1986. Informal and formal health and social support systems of black and white elderly: a comparative cost approach. The Gerontologist, 26 (3), 279–285.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ministère de la Santé (France). 1972. Programme d'Action Prioritaire pour le Maintien à Domiciles des Personnes Agées. Ministére de la Santé, Paris.Google Scholar
O'Brien, J. and Wagner, D. 1986. Help seeking by the frail elderly: problems in network analysis. The Gerontologist, 20 (1), 78–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS). 1989. The General Household Survey 1986. OPCS, HMSO, London.Google Scholar
Penning, M. 1990. Receipt of assistance by elderly people: hierarchical selection and task specificity. The Gerontologist, 30 (2), 220–227.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pitrou, A. 1978. Vivre Sans Famille? Les Solidaritis Familialés dans le Monde d'Aujourd'hui. Privat, Toulouse.Google Scholar
Ritchie, K. 1989. Les familles des personnes âgées démentes en institution. Gérontologie et Société, 48, 99–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberto, K. A. 1988. Women with osteoporosis: the role of the family and service community. Gerontologist. 28 (2), 224–228.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shanas, E. 1979. The family as a social support system in old age. Gerontologist, 19(2), 169–174.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shanas, E., Townsend, P. and Wedderburn, E. 1968. Old people in Three Industrial Societies. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London.Google Scholar
Sinclair, I., Crosbie, D., O'Connor, P., Stanforth, L., Vickery, A. 1988. Bridging Two Worlds, Social Work and the Elderly Living Alone. Avebury, Aldershot.Google Scholar
Soldo, B., Myllyluoma, J.Caregivers who live with dependent elderly. The Gerontologist, 23 (6), 605–611.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stone, R., Cafferata, L., and Sangi, J. 1987. Caregivers of the frail elderly: a national profile. Gerontologist, 27 (5), 616–626.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thevenet, A. (with Dessaint, L.) 1986. L'Aide Sociale Aujourd'hui Après la Décentralisation. Editions ESF, Paris.Google Scholar
Townsend, A., Poulshock, W. 1986. Intergenerational perspectives on impaired elders' support networks. J. Gerontology, 41 (1), 101–109.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van, Lerberghe R-M. and Paul, S. 1980. Les Soins aux Personnes Agées; Rapport de Groupe de Travail Soins aux Personnes Âedes. Ministère de la Santé, Paris.Google Scholar