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Les obligations de soutien aux personnes âgées : attentes normatives exprimées à l'égard des ex-conjoints et des beaux-enfants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Nicolas Rousseau ,
Jean-Pierre Lavoie ,
Nancy Guberman ,
Michel Fournier ,
François Béland  and
Lise Grenier
Nicolas Rousseau*
Affiliation:
Centre de recherche et d'expertise de gérontologie sociale (CREGES)
Jean-Pierre Lavoie
Affiliation:
Centre de recherche et d'expertise de gérontologie sociale (CREGES)
Nancy Guberman
Affiliation:
Centre de recherche et d'expertise de gérontologie sociale (CREGES) Université du Québec à Montréal, Département de travail social
Michel Fournier
Affiliation:
Direction de santé publique de Montréal
François Béland
Affiliation:
Université de Montréal, Département d'administration de la santé
Lise Grenier
Affiliation:
Direction de santé publique de Montréal
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to:/Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à: Nicolas Rousseau, Centre de recherche et d'expertise de gérontologie sociale (CREGES), CSSS Cavendish/CAU, 5800 boul. Cavendish, suite 600, Côte-St-Luc (Québec) H4W 2T5, (nicolas.rousseau@umontreal.ca)
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Abstract

This study compares the normative expectations of 1315 Québécois survey-takers about the responsibilities of spouses and ex-spouses, on the one hand, and adult children and stepchildren, on the other hand, regarding the support they are to offer an elderly family member with incapacities. The comments of survey-takers in relation to fictional yet concrete scenario descriptions provided a basis with which to identify respondents' expectations along with the social factors surrounding these expectations. The results of this survey suggest that the nature and scale of support-related expectations vary according to the family tie with elderly relative. Expectations toward spouses are high and unmitigated, whereas expectations toward ex-spouses and adult stepchildren appear to be limited. Expectations toward adult children are more pronounced than those exhibited toward stepchildren. Where offspring are specifically concerned, expectations are strongly influenced by the given context; for this category of survey-taker, the demands of support should not interfere with their family life and career.

Résumé

Cette étude compare les attentes normatives de 1315 répondants québécois quant aux responsabilités des conjoints et des ex-conjoints, d'une part, et des enfants et des beaux-enfants, d'autre part, dans le soutien à un proche âgé ayant des incapacités. Des vignettes ont permis de connaître les attentes des répondants et d'identifier les facteurs qui les influencent. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que la nature et la portée des attentes de soutien dépendent du lien familial avec le proche âgé. Les conjoints font l'objet d'attentes élevées et inconditionnelles, tandis que celles à l'égard des ex-conjoints et des beaux-enfants s'avèrent modestes. Quant aux attentes à l'égard des enfants, elles sont plus prononcées qu'à l'égard des beaux-enfants. Dans leur cas, les attentes sont fortement conditionnées par le contexte, les exigences du soutien ne devant pas interférer avec leur vie familiale et professionnelle.

Keywords

agingfamily supportfamily transitionnormative expectationsex-partnersstepchildrenvieillissementsoutien familialtransitions familialesattentes normativesex-conjointsbeaux-enfants
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 27 , Issue 4 , Winter/Hiver 2008 , pp. 371 - 383
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2008

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