Primary and proximate - The importance of coresidence and being primary provider of care for men's filial care involvement

This article examines the influence of specific characteristics of the care giving relationship, including coresidence and being the primary provider o f can, on sons' filial care involvement. This work focuses on the gendered nature of care by classifying tasks as traditional or nontraditional for me n. Data for this research come from the Work and Family Survey (1991-1993) conducted by theWorld and Elder care Research Group of CARNET: The Canadian Aging Research Network, and is based on a sample of 440 men who provide so me type of assistance to only one older parent or parent-in-law. The framew ork that guides this work is structured on concepts related to family oblig ations or motivations to provide can. This research finds that coresiding p redicts greater involvement in nontraditional care; being the primary provi der of care predicts greater involvement in traditional care. Results are d iscussed in relation to the conceptual framework that guides this research.