Centre for Policy on Ageing



Efforts to create meaning in the relationship between aging mothers and their caregiving daughters — a qualitative study of caregiving
Author(s)	Nancy W Sheehan, Laura M Donorfio
Journal title	Journal of Aging Studies, vol 13, no 2, Summer 1999
Pages	pp 161-176
Keywords	Daughters as carers ; Mother ; Daughters ; Family relationships ; Attitude ; United States of America.
Annotation	Using grounded theory methodology, this research identifies the major themes or meaning systems that caregiving daughters and their ageing mothers apply in their caregiving. In-depth interviews with 11 mother-daughter pairs explore attitudes toward filial responsibility and actual caregiving experiences. Five themes emerge describing the cognitive, affective, motivational and interpersonal components of the meaning systems of filial caregiving: increased relational tolerance or acceptance, redefinition of the mother-daughter relationship, ageing awareness, relationship priority, and sacrifice. Four themes are evident in both mothers' and daughters' narratives. These themes reflect efforts to create meaning at the interpersonal, familial, symbolic, and psychological levels. The significance of the findings for understanding the dynamic nature of the mother-daughter relationship is discussed. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-990728228 A
Classmark	P6:SSH: SRM: SSH: DS:SJ: DP: 7T
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.