The Relevance of Gender in the Care of Elders: Assumptions and Realities

Abstract

An examination of the common belief that gender determines a closer emotional bond between adult daughters and elderly parents than adult sons results in five paradoxes. By employing sociological and psychological theories, this paper looks at discriminatory socialisation that sets sons and daughters apart in childhood and argues that the performance of daily routine chores, rather than gender, lies at the core of how intergenerational bonds are shaped.