Unveiling Hidden Power: Lessons from Diverse Elderly Care Workers in East Asia
Building upon Joan C. Tronto's ethic of care, this research aims to explore and introduce the hidden strengths of elderly care workers in East Asia, who, while experiencing diverse work patterns and lifestyles, are deeply misunderstood and underestimated by outsiders.
Background
In the context of New Social Risks (NSRs), issues such as elder care and the conflict between work and family responsibilities have become pressing social concerns, particularly in East Asia. The region faces a rapidly aging population and ongoing work-life balance challenges, which are compounded for elderly care workers. These professionals, who view "care" as a vocation, are predominantly women, low-paid, and often foreign. While society increasingly recognizes their importance as essential welfare supporters, they have long been regarded as weak. Policy makers and scholars frequently target them when addressing aging-related issues, yet their lived experiences reveal a persistent lack of understanding from the so-called upper echelons of society.
Methods
To explore the lives of elderly care workers while minimizing the imposition of external assumptions as much as possible, this study employs a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews, lasting around 45 minutes in average, focus on everyday life questions. Fieldwork has been completed in Shanghai, Jilin Province (China), and Taipei, with further research planned in Osaka and Hong Kong.
Results
Interviews with 25 elderly care workers, spanning different job types and life routines across three metropolitan areas, reveal that the prevailing academic view of these workers is narrow and incomplete. Extending Tronto's care theory, this study uncovers the complex, soft, yet potent power embedded within elderly care workers.
Discussion
This research urges scholars to reassess elderly care workers with humility, recognizing that the seemingly weak and marginalized hold a unique and dynamic strength that we frequently overlook.