Transnational Aging, Care and the Welfare State

Abstract

This article discusses the role of the Swedish welfare state in transnational migration contexts involving older people in need of care. A pilot study about experiences and perspectives among care managers in the public elderly care sector forms the empirical point of departure, with focus on late-in-life-immigrants. The article shows concrete examples of how care needs may be met through a combination of public elderly care, support from informal networks, and the travelling of older people back and forth across national borders. Care managers may have a comprehensive but tacit knowledge of the transnational mobility of this category of older care users. Their awareness of their own role in the transnational contexts remains quite limited. Late-in-life immigrants to Sweden who are involved in transmigration processes are dependent on the care managers' professional autonomy and ability to take advantage of the scope of legislation for individual assessments and special solutions.

Keywords:

• social work
• welfare administrator
• care manager
• late-in-life-immigrants
• older transmigrants
• caregiver