The perspective of employers/families and care recipients of migrant live-in caregivers: a scoping review

In high-income countries, migrant live-in caregivers are increasingly in demand to provide health and social care in the home. While there is a wide range of research on the perspectives of live-in caregivers (including domestic workers) in destination countries, few studies address the perspective of families who hire them. The aim of this study was to explore the extent, range and nature of international literature on the needs and experiences of employers/families and care recipients of live-in caregivers. We undertook a scoping review of the literature on this topic using Arksey and O'Malley's five stages. With the assistance of a health science librarian, a comprehensive search of nine databases was undertaken from April to July 2014. Two research assistants independently reviewed 2493 articles. The data were analysed through data charting, numerical summary and thematic analysis. Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria for the scoping review. Many of these studies (n=7) were conducted in Israel, and the majority (n=8) focus on elderly care recipients. The findings reveal the diverse roles live-in caregivers perform, including emotional and physical care; changes in family dynamics and roles upon hiring a live-in caregiver; the negative experiences, including abuse, of live-in caregivers and elderly care recipients; the positive outcomes for families with a live-in caregiver; and families' common perception that live-in caregivers are like kin, a part of the family. Furthermore, evidence points to some degree of bi-directional emotional support between caregivers and employers/families, which adds complexity to their relations and the negotiation of power.