Self-Care Practices at Community Centers: Motherhood in Later Life in Urban Taiwan
Abstract
:1. Introduction
- How do older women perform their mothering role in later life, particularly those who have resolved intergenerational conflict and completed their grandparenting duty?
- What do these older mothers consider to be the qualities of a “good” mother in the later years of their life?
- How do they manage their emotions and expectations for their adult children, particularly in terms of care provision and financial support?
- How do they associate their regular attendance at the community center with their mothering role?
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
3.1. Landscape of Elder Care in Urban Taiwan
3.2. Mothering Practices in Early Life
People teased me that I was so pretty but married an old guy who didn’t have much money. My father-in-law became ill just three years after we married and I had to take care of him. I think it was my fate. But anyway, I agreed to the marriage so I shouldn’t complain. I gave my promise to my husband, so I had to stay in the family no matter how hard my life was.(Ching)
My husband has a big family. In the old days, I had a lot of housework to do. I had to prepare meals for more than 20 people. But what could I say? Even if I ran away, where could I go to? I had no place to go. If I died, then there would be no place for me.(Kam)
3.2.1. Emotional Care: Learning Motherhood in Later Life
3.3. At the Community Centers
3.3.1. Establishing Routines
3.3.2. Self-Care
The health conditions of (names of those who were former community center members) got worsened during the past months since they could not come to the community center due to the close down during the COVID-19 pandemic.9 Now you have to come here every day in order to stay healthy.
4. Discussion: Motherhood in Later Life
4.1. Emotional Care: “I Can Take Care of Myself”
My son told me that if I am not doing well, he would feel pressure and cannot focus on his work. He said that he wants me to be healthy and happy…he would be happy if I am happy.
Our generation lived through all sorts of hardships; however, the younger generation is not like us. They put more emphasis on themselves and enjoying life. They just hire foreign helpers to look after their parents.
4.2. Money
Whenever my son bought food or anything for me, I would pay him back. My son is already giving us NTD 30,000. How can I ask him to pay for other things? I don’t like it (taking more).
4.3. Mother’s Love for Unmarried Daughters
Of course I worry about them but worrying is useless. What I can do now is to save up more money so that I can leave them with more money after I die.
5. Conclusions
5.1. Mothers’ Emotion Work in Later Life
5.2. Infrastructure for Intimacy
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
1 | See for example, “Senior Citizen’s Welfare Association urges government to promote the respect for older adults” (Min Sheng Ri Bao 1965, June 10); “Promoting the welfare benefits of older adults” (Min Sheng Ri Bao 1967a, January 26); “Setting a model for the next generation, welfare for the older population, and the Day of Older Persons” (Min Sheng Ri Bao 1967b, October 13); “Helping homeless poor citizens” (United Daily News 1976a, February 22); “Improving the social welfare scheme” (United Daily News 1976b, July 8). |
2 | The basic living cost per person in 2022 announced by the (Hsinchu City Government 2022): https://society.hccg.gov.tw/ch/home.jsp?id=194&parentpath=0,5,43&mcustomize=qanda_view.jsp&toolsflag=Y&dataserno=201704070001&t=QandA&mserno=201603090009 (accessed on 21 October 2022). |
3 | “Silver light cafes, second home to community older adults” (United Daily News 2020, May 31). |
4 | See for example, “Rising living quality, higher chance of disharmony between mother and daughter-in-law” (United Daily News 1977a, September 29); “19 abusive behaviors between mother and daughter-in-law” (United Daily News 1979, June 30); and “The life of love, harmony and family” (United Daily News 1980, May 14). |
5 | “Three-generation family” (United Daily News 1977b, October 24). |
6 | “Village Head” is the lowest rank of elected officials in Taiwan’s electoral system. Although it is called the “Village Head,” the people are not living in a village or a rural area. The title “Village Head” is used in urban areas. Village Heads or politicians gain local support by becoming allies of the community centers. |
7 | The frequency of offering interest classes depends on the size and human resources of the community center. The two community centers, where I conducted field work, offer classes from Monday to Friday, both morning and afternoon sessions from 9:00 to 11:30 and 14:00 to 16:30 respectively. Some small-scale community centers can only offer classes in the morning or every other day. |
8 | One of the older women in Community Center A signed the log book herself because she lived alone. The social worker was aware of her situation and accepted the signature. |
9 | Community centers were forced to close down for several months from May to September in 2011. They were allowed to re-open in October 2011. |
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Name (Pseudonyms for Anonymity) | Age | Living Arrangements | Education | Community Center and Length of Time of Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | Bao | 88 | Widowed and lives alone | Elementary school education | Community Center A, 4 years |
2. | Kam | 80 | Resides with her 82-year-old husband, who has been diagnosed with mild dementia | Elementary school education | Community Center B, 2 years |
3. | Shui-yee | 80 | Resides with her husband and unmarried son | Elementary school education | Community Center B, 2 years |
4. | Ming | 77 | Widowed and lives alone | Junior high school education | Community Center B, 2 years |
5. | Ching | 68 | Resides with her 91-year-old husband and two unmarried daughters | Elementary school education | Community Center A, 6 years |
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Lai, F.Y. Self-Care Practices at Community Centers: Motherhood in Later Life in Urban Taiwan. Soc. Sci. 2023, 12, 263. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12050263
Lai FY. Self-Care Practices at Community Centers: Motherhood in Later Life in Urban Taiwan. Social Sciences. 2023; 12(5):263. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12050263
Chicago/Turabian StyleLai, Francisca Yuenki. 2023. "Self-Care Practices at Community Centers: Motherhood in Later Life in Urban Taiwan" Social Sciences 12, no. 5: 263. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12050263
APA StyleLai, F. Y. (2023). Self-Care Practices at Community Centers: Motherhood in Later Life in Urban Taiwan. Social Sciences, 12(5), 263. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12050263