Abstract
Issues at the heart of clinical work with elders – loss, bereavement, and caregiving – are central to attachment theory. As Bowlby (1969/1982) famously proposed, attachment behavior plays a “vital role” in human life “from the cradle to the grave” (p. 208). Bowlby’s theory and the subsequent research on attachment across the life cycle provide a framework for viewing relationships between elder adults and their caregivers. The theory clarifies coping strategies in times of stress in late life and suggests that the caregiving styles of adults are linked to the early attachment bonds they experienced with their parents. At this stage of life, attachment patterns established early in life become activated in ways that are unique to the cultural context of the family unit (Fiori, Consedine, & Magai, 2009). This chapter addresses some of the attachment issues and cultural manifestations that emerge in late adulthood, highlighting, in particular, African-American caregivers of elders.
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Notes
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Research funded by the John Templeton Foundation and the Duke University Center for Spirituality, Theology, and Health.
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Bennett, S., Sheridan, M.J., Soniat, B. (2011). Attachment and Caregiving for Elders Within African-American Families. In: Bennett, S., Nelson, J. (eds) Adult Attachment in Clinical Social Work. Essential Clinical Social Work Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6241-6_8
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