Family care and social capital : transitions in informal care / monograph

Becoming a caregiver is increasingly an inevitable experience for many people and, therefore, a likely life transition. Drawing on research and personal experiences of working with family caregivers, this book examines a range of family caregiving situations from across the life course. It seeks to capture the dynamics of caregiving in a number of common situations: caregiving during infancy, for adults who acquire a disability through accidents or illness, for older people with age-related issues, and caregiving by children and adolescent carers and grandparent carers. In drawing attention to key moments of vulnerability faced by family and informal caregivers, and by suggesting how to assist ‘reconnection’ at these moments, the book provides a guide for those working in the area of health, disability and care. Informal care is conceptualised as occurring with the context of personal interrelationships, these being nested within wider kin networks and linked with wider professional formal care networks. Informal care is seen both as an expression of social capital and as an activity that builds social capital. It is an indicator of resources of mutual support within social networks, and it has the effect of adding to the stock of social resources. The book makes a case, therefore, for facilitating the development of social capital by strengthening the capacity of informal caregivers and caregiver groups, and by improving the linkages with formal care organisations. Front Matter....Pages i-xix Family Care and Social Capital....Pages 1-15 Informal Care in Context: An Expression of Social Relationships....Pages 17-34 The Dynamic Experience of Caring....Pages 35-52 Informal Caring and Early Childhood....Pages 53-73 Caring for a Family Member with a Lifelong Disability....Pages 75-90 Caring for Adults with Acquired Disabilities....Pages 91-107 Caring for Older People....Pages 109-128 Caregiving Across the Generations....Pages 129-147 Recognising and Supporting Informal Care....Pages 149-158 Back Matter....Pages 159-170