Obligations for Care: Beliefs in a Small Canadian Town

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Abstract
A combined questionnaire and interview procedure was used to explore the perceptions and obligations to assist a frail old person with physical care, financial aid, and psychological support. Subjects for the interview were 80 women aged 18–25, 30–45, 50–65, and 65–85 years, all residents of a small town in Maritime Canada. The questionnaire was omitted in the case of the oldest group. The results showed that children were perceived to have a strong obligation to assist, substantially reduced, however, by circumstances such as geographical distance or financial exigency. The obligation of government was also strong for all but psychological needs. Siblings, friends, and the church were perceived to be common sources of assistance, particularly psychological, but with significantly less moral obligation compared to other sources. Differences between age groups were small. The interviews, however, showed the youngest group to be less realistic and more absolute about children's responsibilities for old people than were old people for themselves. Similarly, the oldest subjects were more likely than younger subjects to stress the responsibility of the old person for his/her own welfare.