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Aging, Health, and Longevity in the Mexican-Origin Population pp 293–315Cite as

Caring for the Elderly: A Binational Task

Transnational Health Care Support

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Abstract

Mexico has experienced a demographic transition which has led to the ageing of its population. Thus, ageing has become a major concern in Mexico particularly as it relates to health and care issues. This concern is complicated given that Mexican migration to the United States is selective of young workers, especially sons who represent the main support for elderly care. In this context, families span across Mexico and the United States or family members become transnational migrants. The aim of this chapter is to identify strategies and mechanisms that families of Mexican origin develop on both sides of the border to tend to the physical and mental health needs of older parents. Qualitative data are used to conduct the analysis. The results show the use of a combination of local and transnational strategies to deal with the needs of elderly parents. The analysis also identifies demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors that are related to the strategies used.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Seguro Popular is the program introduced in 2002 by the Fox administration to provide health protection to that part of the Mexican population that did not have access to medical services.

  2. 2.

    The GSSOA (2004) was the first survey based on persons 50 years and older in Guanajuato. The survey is representative of rural and urban areas in the state. The survey includes a variety of information such as socio-demographic data, information about household residents as well as children ever born, activity conditions, social security, pension, health care services, migration, family transferences, remittances, physical and mental health, morbidity, nutrition, family networks, social supports, reciprocity, and community participation.

  3. 3.

    According to the GSSOA study, one in nine persons 50 or older in Guanajuato had migrated to the United States, with males and persons in rural areas being the most likely to migrate.

  4. 4.

    This situation arose generally at two historical moments: the Bracero Program (1945–1964) and the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986.

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Acknowledgements

This article was prepared with the financial support of the Migration and Health Programme (PIMSA) of the University of California at Berkeley. The authors wish to express their gratitude to Dr. Telésforo Ramírez, Marco Portales and M. A Nadia. Santillanes for their careful reading and useful comments. The authors also appreciate Mirna Hebrero for ­processing the data. Finally, we appreciate the translation of major segments of this article by Christopher Follett.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Coyacán, DF, Mexico

    Verónica Montes de Oca Zavala

  2. University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA

    Rogelio Sáenz

  3. Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico

    Ahtziri Molina Roldán

Authors
  1. Verónica Montes de Oca Zavala
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  2. Rogelio Sáenz
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  3. Ahtziri Molina Roldán
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Verónica Montes de Oca Zavala .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Sociology, University of Texas, Austin, University Station 1, Austin, 78712, Texas, USA

    Jacqueline L. Angel

  2. , Center for Policy Research on Aging, University of California, Los Angeles, Public Affairs Building 5341, Los Angeles, 90095, California, USA

    Fernando Torres-Gil

  3. University of Texas Medical Branch at Ga, Rte. 1153 1.128 Ewin, Galveston, 77555, Texas, USA

    Kyriakos Markides

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de Oca Zavala, V.M., Sáenz, R., Roldán, A.M. (2012). Caring for the Elderly: A Binational Task. In: Angel, J., Torres-Gil, F., Markides, K. (eds) Aging, Health, and Longevity in the Mexican-Origin Population. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1867-2_21

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