This thesis is qualitative study of the perceptions of aged Italian women in receiving care. It examines intra-ethnic group differences between Italian-Immigrant and Italian-Canadian women, and their definition of the experience of receiving care. Also, it addresses gender, class, and ethnicity issues which have implications for social work practice, policy, and research. / Sixty-one interviews were conducted with thirty participants, over the age of sixty-five. Participants were interviewed in their treatment environments with follow-up interviews in their home settings. Semi-structured in-depth interviews documenting these women's life histories, as well as participant observation, were the qualitative methods used to collect data. Interview transcripts and field notes were analyzed qualitatively to identify similarities and differences in participants' perceptions as care-receivers. A feminist theoretical perspective was applied to the discussion of the data. / The study suggests that differences exist between aged Italian-Immigrant and Italian-Canadian women care-receivers. These differences are directly related to specific personal and social factors which nurture and oppress them. Aged Italian-Canadian women were found to have more resources, greater independence with their supportive alliances, and higher levels of self-esteem and life satisfaction than aged Italian-Immigrant women. The findings provide insight into resources these women developed to deal with the constraints imposed on them by their gender, class, and ethnicity. / The study suggests an integrated-interactive approach of practice, policy, and research to implement changes so as to meet the needs of these individuals. The study recommends that a feminist social work approach be adopted in the educational curriculum for the training of social work professionals.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.41096 |
| Date | January 1993 |
| Creators | Bonar, Rita Aguzzi |
| Contributors | MacLean, M. J. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (School of Social Work.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001339961, proquestno: NN87801, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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