How migrants keep Italian families Italian: badanti and the private care of older people

Migrant caregivers, known as 'badanti,' play a crucial role in maintaining Italy's tradition of family care for older people, despite the precarious and often exploitative nature of their employment. This study reveals an uneasy but interdependent relationship between badanti, Italian families, and elderly individuals, highlighting contradictions in Italian politics regarding care and migration. Through in-depth interviews with 20 badanti, relatives, and social workers in Verona, along with secondary material analysis, the research exposes the complexities and moral dilemmas inherent in this dynamic. While the findings are not generalizable due to the small sample size, they underscore the indispensability of informal migrant care in contemporary Italy and call for policy attention.

Rugolotto, S., Larotonda, A., & van der Geest, S. (2017). How migrants keep Italian families Italian: badanti and the private care of older people. International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, 13(2), 185–197. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijmhsc-08-2015-0027