I Don't Want to be a Burden: Japanese Immigrant Acculturation and Their Attitudes Toward Non-Family-Based Elder Care

Elder care remains primarily in the family sphere in Japan while elderly Japanese immigrants in the U.S. are actively planning to utilize formal care services. Although social structural conditions may explain these differences, they do not fully explain "how" Japanese immigrants have developed norms of independent living as it relates to the utilization of formal care services. This study examines how Japanese immigrant women's value acculturation leads to their cultural preference for non-family-based care using qualitative analyses of data gathered through participant observations and 31 in-depth interviews. Findings suggest that Japanese immigrant women tend to accept the U.S. norms of the independent parent-child relationship and see their children as "other" individuals rather than "inseparable" family members who are obligated to fulfill their filial duty. This value acculturation appears to manifest in their preference for independent living, friend-based support, and utilization of formal care services. Showing no expectation of the family care also serves as an important strategic means to ensure their middle-aged children's freedom from filial care duty.