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Sustainable Care in a Familialist Regime: Coping with Elderly Care in Slovenia

Author

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  • Maša Filipovič Hrast

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Valentina Hlebec

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
    Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Tatjana Rakar

    (Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Abstract

In countries with prevalent family care and less developed care services, it is important to understand the ways families cope with the care needs of their frail family members as part of policy learning to make care systems more sustainable. Filial care is a vital element of family care, yet is significantly restrained by the involvement of carers in the labour market; unequal gender distribution of the care burden; and insufficient recognition of, and policy support, for family care. This article considered the issue of the sustainability of elderly care in a familialist country, Slovenia, by identifying the coping strategies families adopt for the provision of care. To this end, in-depth qualitative data based on a purposeful sample of 55 community-resident users of social home care services and their 55 family carers were used. We identified five external coping strategies: use of formal care services, use of extended family network, use of wider community network, cohabitation, and home adjustments. Among internal strategies, we detected work-related adjustments; abandoning leisure activities; abandoning vacations; establishing new routines; accepting and finding satisfaction in care; increased psychological distress, such as worries and overburdening; and some unmet care recipient needs. Very few strategies may be described as supported by policy actions, despite such support being essential for increasing the sustainability of the family-based care model.

Suggested Citation

  • Maša Filipovič Hrast & Valentina Hlebec & Tatjana Rakar, 2020. "Sustainable Care in a Familialist Regime: Coping with Elderly Care in Slovenia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:20:p:8498-:d:428370
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mihaela Ghența & Aniela Matei & Luise Mladen-Macovei & Maria Denisa Vasilescu & Elen-Silvana Bobârnat, 2021. "Sustainable Care and Factors Associated with Quality of Life among Older Beneficiaries of Social Services," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Tim Arlinghaus & Kevin Kus & Patricia Kajüter Rodrigues & Frank Teuteberg, 2023. "Visualizing Benefits of Case Management Software Using Utility Effect Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-14, March.
    3. Gianina Chirugu & Mihaela Rus, 2022. "The quality of life of seniors from Romania during the coronavirus pandemic period," Technium Social Sciences Journal, Technium Science, vol. 38(1), pages 641-648, December.
    4. Sara Santini & Barbara D’Amen & Marco Socci & Mirko Di Rosa & Elizabeth Hanson & Valentina Hlebec, 2022. "Difficulties and Needs of Adolescent Young Caregivers of Grandparents in Italy and Slovenia: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Mariana Calderón-Jaramillo & Pilar Zueras, 2023. "Cared and uncared populations: understanding unmet care needs of older adults (65+) across different social care systems in Europe," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 1-14, December.

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