“A Labour of Love?” Informal Eldercare Work and Domestic Space in Contemporary Croatia

Abstract

In recent years, domestic work has become the centre of many scientific studies. Still, in most cases, disregarding its specific aspects and features, domestic work is displayed as a homogeneous category. In contrast, by observing daily activities and narrations of the live-in eldercare workers, specific working conditions, dispositional attitudes, duties and obligations are disclosed. The article suggests that in
order to fully comprehend the extent of the eldercare work it is equally important to place the research where care work is located – within the domestic space. Hence, only by entering the deepest void of this work, space for exploitation, struggle and invisibility can be reduced to a minimum.