Domestic helpers as frontline workers in China’s home-based elder care: A systematic review

ABSTRACT

We conducted a systematic review of the existing empirical studies focusing on Chinese domestic helpers in mainland China and foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong who provide care for community-dwelling older adults. There are very limited studies specifically focusing on this population. The findings synthesized domestic helpers’ characteristics, acknowledged their contributions to elder care in China, and showed multiple challenges facing them, such as issues related to their physical health and emotional well-being, lack of legal rights protection, difficulties of adapting life in the host city, lack of training, and risk of abuse and sexual harassment. Our findings support the need for developing training and educational programs about legal rights protection and cultural competency for domestic helpers and the need to promote domestic helpers’ access to health care and social welfare and opportunities for career advancement, and provide respectful working conditions.

KEYWORDS:

• China
• domestic helpers
• long-term care

Acknowledgments

This study was presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, 2015. We would like to express great appreciation to reviewers’ constructive comments and the editorial advising given by Sara D. Hauber. We are also particularly grateful for the help and support given by Dr. Ruth A. Anderson from the School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.