The Cross Cultural Influences of Caregiving and Social Support Use Among Korean Immigrants and Korean Canadians

Background: The incidences of dementia and chronic illness are dramatically increasing worldwide. Providing care to a family member with dementia and chronic illness is associated with many physical and emotional issues, which include social isolation and financial burdens. Immigrant caregivers, especially in the Korean community, are not an exception in this matter. Despite the increasing number of Korean immigrants and Korean Canadians with family caregivers in Canada, little research has been done to explore how people with cross-cultural values understand dementia caregiving, and what their help-seeking patterns are in Canada. Without a clear understanding, it may be difficult for service providers to provide appropriate services to both the Korean immigrant caregivers, and caregivers who are Canadians of Korean ancestry. The purpose of this research is to examine how Korean immigrants and Korean Canadians conceive the role of family and other social supports in the provision of care to people living with dementia and chronic illness.

Methods: This study used phenomenological approaches and purposeful sampling for data collection. In depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Korean immigrants and Korean Canadians in Canada. All interviews were tape recorded transcribed and analyzed. Several methods were used to ensure the trustworthiness of the study, including transferability, dependability, credibility, and confirmability.

Results: Analysis of these interviews found three emerging themes which related to Korean immigrants and Korean Canadians perceptions of caregiving and social support. Three emerging themes were following: 1) the importance of family care; 2) the roles of the Korean church as a support system; and 3) ability to find resources and help from outside of the family.

Conclusions and Implications: Findings from this study suggest that service providers are crucial to the provision of services to primary caregivers as well as their family members. Service providers who have different cultural backgrounds should first attempt to understand their clients’ family values and then offer information to family members regarding how to engage in caregiving. In doing so, caregivers and their family members can not only reduce their levels of care burden but also provide better care to their loved ones with degenerative physical and cognitive chronic conditions. Findings also suggest that, as social system, religious institutions could be in an important position to offer interventions, such as educational services and conduct support groups for Korean immigrant and Korean Canadian caregivers. Such services may assist caregivers in receiving the support they need, and mingling other Koreans community members.