Abstract
Introduction: Filial care has long been part of the Filipino culture. This paper aims to validate the assumption of the Filial Care Theory which states that the older person’s vulnerability stimulates the caring behaviors from the family members.
Methods: Through a multiple case study approach using cross-case synthesis, various situations that led five adult Filipino children into assuming filial care duties and the kinds of support involved in the said filial care interaction were explored.
Results: It was determined that filial care involves sentience among family members, a desire to sustain the older person, strengthened family support, affinity, solidarity and compassion, and a commitment to return a past favor.
Discussion: Filial care is a response to the older person’s needs and limitations. Apart from the older person’s vulnerability, it was deduced that filial care requires both the older persons and their adult children to be emotionally vulnerable towards one another.