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Socio-Economic Predictors of Hiring Live-In Migrant Care Workers to Support Community Dwelling Older Adults with Long-Term Care Needs: Recent Evidence from a Central Italian Region

Author

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  • Oliver Fisher

    (Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, 60124 Ancona, Italy
    Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy)

  • Paolo Fabbietti

    (Unit of Geriatric Pharmacoepidemiology, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, 60124 Ancona, Italy)

  • Giovanni Lamura

    (Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA-National Institute of Health and Science on Ageing, 60124 Ancona, Italy)

Abstract

To meet the rising demand for home care, many families in Italy hire live-in migrant care workers (MCWs). However, the reliance on MCWs to provide long-term care (LTC) and a lack of alternative formal care services raises concerns around equality in access to care. This study aimed to determine the socio-economic predictors of hiring live-in MCWs among older adults with LTC needs in Italy, the objective care burden placed on MCWs, and the financial barriers that people in need of care and informal caregivers face when hiring MCWs, analysing data from a cross-sectional questionnaire with 366 older adults with LTC needs and their primary family caregivers living in the Marche region. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate the predictors of hiring a live-in MCW. Having a primary caregiver that had a high school education or above significantly increased the odds of hiring a live-in MCW (Odds Ratio (OR) = 3.880), as did receiving a social pension (OR = 2.258). Over half (57.5 percent) of the people in need of care had difficulties in affording the costs of hiring an MCW in the past year. To increase the sustainability of the Italian MCW market and reduce socio-economic barriers to accessing care, the Italian Government should increase funding for LTC benefits and add means testing and restrictions on the use of cash-for-care allowances.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliver Fisher & Paolo Fabbietti & Giovanni Lamura, 2021. "Socio-Economic Predictors of Hiring Live-In Migrant Care Workers to Support Community Dwelling Older Adults with Long-Term Care Needs: Recent Evidence from a Central Italian Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-18, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:10:p:5349-:d:552107
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Francesco Barbabella & Carlos Chiatti & Joseph M. Rimland & Maria Gabriella Melchiorre & Giovanni Lamura & Fabrizia Lattanzio, 2016. "Socioeconomic Predictors of the Employment of Migrant Care Workers by Italian Families Assisting Older Alzheimer’s Disease Patients: Evidence From the Up-Tech Study," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 71(3), pages 514-525.
    2. Paolo Boccagni, 2018. "At home in home care? Contents and boundaries of the ‘domestic’ among immigrant live-in workers in Italy," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(5), pages 813-831, July.
    3. Kaschowitz, Judith & Brandt, Martina, 2017. "Health effects of informal caregiving across Europe: A longitudinal approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 72-80.
    4. Bom, Judith & Bakx, Pieter & Schut, Frederik & van Doorslaer, Eddy, 2019. "Health effects of caring for and about parents and spouses," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 14(C).
    5. World Health Organization & World Bank Group & OECD, 2018. "Delivering Quality Health Services," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 29970.
    6. Rie Miyazaki, 2019. "Migrant care workers and care-migration policies: a comparison between Italy and Japan," Asia Europe Journal, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 161-177, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sara Santini & Matteo Finco & Flavia Galassi, 2022. "Education and Employment of Refugees and Migrants in the Formal Elderly Healthcare Sector: Results from an Online Survey in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Maria Gabriella Melchiorre & Sabrina Quattrini & Giovanni Lamura & Marco Socci, 2022. "Role and Characteristics of Personal Care Assistants of Frail Older People with Functional Limitations Ageing in Place in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-25, March.
    3. Maria Gabriella Melchiorre & Marco Socci & Sabrina Quattrini & Giovanni Lamura & Barbara D’Amen, 2022. "Frail Older People Ageing in Place in Italy: Use of Health Services and Relationship with General Practitioner," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-26, July.

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