Constructing Meaning in Elder Care: Perspectives of Informal Caregivers in Vietnam

ABSTRACT

Population aging poses significant challenges for Vietnam, where families remain the primary caregivers amid limited resources and a developing social welfare system. Grounded in cultural values and social norms, particularly filial piety, this study employs a qualitative approach using purposive sampling and semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with 37 informal caregivers of older adults with chronic illnesses in Ho Chi Minh City. Reflexive thematic analysis, supported by MAXQDA, reveals four key dimensions of caregiving meaning: (1) views on filial piety, encompassing cultural moral imperatives, inescapable structural duties, reciprocal care exchanges, and modern filial reinterpretations; (2) emotional affection; (3) gender expectations; and (4) elder care planning, which is shaped by cultural norms, care recipients' personal wishes, older adults' health status, prevailing biases toward institutional care, financial limitations, family support systems, and the consideration of external services. Together, these findings highlight the complex negotiation between traditional obligations and personal life demands, as well as the pressures inherent in home‐based caregiving. These insights offer valuable implications for developing culturally grounded social policies and long‐term care support in Vietnam's rapidly aging society.