The Intersection Between Ethnicity, Caregiving and Culture

Talking about ethnicity, caregiving and culture is a challenging topic – and an important one. While different cultures face many of the same challenges, there’s no denying that there are distinct differences too.

Some groups are at a disadvantage in the society that they’re in. Perhaps they face discrimination or their values and priorities are a little different than the dominant culture. Or, perhaps their ability to understand the local language is limited.

In other cases, a group of people might not be at a disadvantage, but their experience is still different in some way.

The more we learn about the differences between groups, the better we can cater for these and provide the support that people need. Understanding these differences can be relevant for caregivers too, as you can get a better sense of your own situation and how you can make things better.

In this post, we’re going to talk about some key ways that culture and ethnicity can influence caregiving, along with what these patterns mean from a practical perspective.

You can also check out our series of posts on caregiving and aging in different cultures, including Ethiopia, India, China, Vietnam, Japan, and Pakistan.

Cultural Expectations of Caregiving

One key difference isn’t in the caregiving role itself, but in what people expect. This difference is important, as it influences how ready people are to be caregivers and even how they feel about the role.

When Caregiving is Expected

Caregiving is an ingrained part of some cultures, so children grow up expecting to care for their aging parents (or other family members) later in life.

In this context, caregiving may be seen as an important process, one that helps to give life meaning and offers a chance to repay one’s parents.

Cultures with this type of emphasis on caregiving often tend towards multigenerational households. This means that there may be multiple generations living together under the same roof, such as a couple, their children, and their aging parents.

This situation may happen long before the aging parent needs any type of support. Multigenerational households provide seniors with a sense of purpose too, as they are able to help in the raising of their grandchildren and with tasks around the house.

When Caregiving Isn’t Expected

On the other hand, European and American families often focus more heavily on the nuclear family model. While there many cases where people live with their aging parents, doing so is often unexpected and occurs because of a crisis.

Because of this, non-Hispanic white children often have not seen caregiving first hand. Some may have seen their parents support family members from afar, such as by visiting regularly or by relying on paid care services.

This difference in environment means that non-Hispanic white Americans often do not have the same assumptions about caregiving. Some will have never considered the possibility of caring for their family member. As there is a cultural focus on individualism, some adults may have assumed that their aging parents would find ways to meet their own needs. 

Implications of these Differences

Cultural differences in how caregiving is viewed can affect the way that people respond to caregiving.

For example, if you always assumed that you would be caring for your aging parents, then you find the role easier to adjust to and it may be easier to find joy.

Indeed, many studies have shown a link between race and psychological adaption, with minority caregivers often adapting better than their white counterparts. Expectations could be one key driver of this pattern.

Differences in Caregiving Approaches

Cultures also vary in how they approach caregiving. Research shows that minority caregivers are less likely to take advantage of formal support approaches. This approach could easily lead to more caregiver stress. 

There are various reasons for this pattern.

Some minority caregivers may not trust the current systems, while others may be unable to access them.

Cultural values can be significant too. For example, if you were taught that caregiving the responsibility of every child, then you may be more reluctant to seek outside help. You may feel that you are responsible for everything and that you should be able to meet your parent’s needs on your own, without assistance.

It’s critical to be aware of these patterns.

Outside support is valuable and can make a huge difference to your caregiving experience. While you have every right to refuse such support and do things on your own instead – it’s worth taking the time and thinking about the reasons behind your decisions.

You should be particularly concerned if you’re trying to do everything yourself because of guilt or a sense that you ‘should’.

Caregivers often get caught up in ideas about what they should and should not be doing, which leads to feelings of caregiver guilt. The problem is a common one and guilt often happens not because you’re doing something wrong, but because your expectations were unrealistic to begin with.

If you feel guilty about looking for outside help or taking care of your own needs, for example, then the guilt isn’t realistic. Such approaches are critical for keeping you strong. No one wins if you don’t get the support that you need, as you simply end up burning out.

Do Some Groups Fare Worse?

It’s tempting to suggest that caregiving is easier for some cultural and ethnic groups than others. After all, in the United States, Hispanic and African American caregivers have a greater likelihood of being in poverty and may face more health challenges than their non-Hispanic white counterparts. 

However, such a blanket claim has severe limitations.

For one thing, the patterns that we see are based on averages. And averages, while useful, tell us little about the experiences of individuals. 

• For example, there are many affluent minority caregivers in the population – and many impoverished white caregivers. 
• Similarly, some people expected to be caregivers and have largely positive relationships with their aging parent. 
• Others may feel that they were thrown into the role or may even have experienced abuse from their parent when they were growing up. 

It’s also too simplistic to say that caregiving is easier for one group and harder for another. 

In some senses, it’s more accurate to say that the caregiving experience is different between people and from one culture to the next. Some of these differences may be  positive, while others aren’t. 

Research suggests, for example, that for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, African American caregivers tend to experience fewer depressive symptoms than white caregivers.

Why Talk About Caregiving and Culture?

The way that you grew up has many seen and unseen impacts. It affects the way that you see the world, your expectations, your values, and so much more. Even if you’ve found your own path, you will be influenced by your past in some ways.

This is true for everyone, so the pattern also applies to the person that you’re caring for, your family members, and your friends.

Taking the time to understand your background can help you to:

• Make wiser and more informed decisions about caregiving
• Be more aware of the expectations and values of your family members
• Find solutions to disagreements
• Decrease caregiver guilt by better understanding the underlying emotions
• Be aware of culture-specific challenges that you may face – and find ways to get around these

What You Can Do

Perhaps the most powerful approach is to look for advice, tools, and programs that are designed with your group in mind. This can be easy or difficult depending on who you are and where you live.

In our new book, Multicultural Guide to Caregiving, we aim to help families to better tackle caring for aging parents. We connect you to critical benefits and elder services in the U.S., and provide strategies for managing the financial demands of elder care.

For example, in the United States, it is easiest to find resources developed for non-Hispanic white Americans. But, there is growing recognition of the importance of ethnic differences, so other types of resources are being developed, including programs targeted at different ethnic groups, ones that take value and language differences into account.

Formal programs aren’t your only option either.

Taking the time to find support that resonates with you and your values really can make the world of difference. This can make you feel less alone and less overwhelmed in your role, which leads to better outcomes for you and your family member.