Harmonizing Beliefs With Realities: Social Support Among Older Puerto Ricans With Disabilities

Older Puerto Ricans of the diaspora live with evident health and socioeconomic disparities, heightening their need for support. They also provide a unique transnational case in which to explore the exchange of support. This study aims to understand the informal social support experiences of older Pu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inSAGE open Vol. 7; no. 2
Main Authors Guzzardo, Mariana T., Adams, Wallis E., Todorova, Irina L. G., Falcón, Luis M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.06.2017
SAGE Publishing
Subjects
social support
marianismo
Puerto Ricans
familismo
disability
qualitative methods
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Older Puerto Ricans of the diaspora live with evident health and socioeconomic disparities, heightening their need for support. They also provide a unique transnational case in which to explore the exchange of support. This study aims to understand the informal social support experiences of older Puerto Ricans with disabilities. Data are based on the translated transcripts of 25 interviews with Spanish-speaking, Island-born Puerto Ricans living in Boston. We identify four themes through thematic analysis: (a) making sense of responsibility within valued familial relationships, (b) conceptualizing friends as family, (c) finding resolve and meaning despite isolation, and (d) (not) asking for help. These themes delineate an incongruence between their beliefs and their lived experiences of social support, as well as how this contradiction is sometimes harmonized. Whereas some older Puerto Ricans with disabilities have support to rely on, others are isolated and lack support to address the challenges of functional impairment.
ISSN:2158-2440
2158-2440
DOI:10.1177/2158244017715337