Family care prior to the admission of the elderly in a nursing home and continuity in family care: A comparative study of Colombia and Spain

This study examined the background before admission to a nursing home and the conditions for the continuity of care, of the relatives of older adults of Colombia and Spain. The study sample comprised 546 participants: 278 and 268 from Colombia and Spain, respectively. Structured interviews were conducted with the older adults’ relatives. Sociodemographic similarities predominated, although in the Colombian sample there were significantly more unrelated people. Similarities in previous and current care conditions also predominated too. Cluster 1 included all the cases of Colombian low-resource nursing homes, and Cluster 2 included all the relatives of Colombian high-resource nursing homes and all the Spanish centers. The type of nursing home was the variable more important to identify the abovementioned clusters. Conclusions: Family members from Colombia and Spain continue to care for the elderly admitted to geriatric homes. The type of geriatric center is what establishes the differences in the users. •Spanish and Colombian family caregivers continue to provide care to the elderly after their admission to the residence.•There are more similarities than differences between Spanish and Colombian family caregivers.•Reconciling work-family implies a difficult balance, especially among women, who are more overloaded.•The deterioration of the health of the elderly was the most frequent reason for admission.•There are differences between relationships and provision of care in the elderly living in low-income residences in Colombia with respect to the rest of the Colombian and Spanish sample. Nursing homes, Relatives of institutionalized seniors, Transcultural studies, family care.