Research concerning the effects of migrants on elder care in affluent receiving countries has been substantial, but we know little about the effects of migrant care on elder care in sending countries. There also is limited research on elder care in the context of the return migration of migrant care workers. This theoretical article explores the potential relevance of a social network perspective, which views individuals and countries as being interconnected even when they are miles apart. A multi-level framework that considers macro-, meso- and micro-level perspectives is introduced to better account for current migrant care arrangements. The macro-level perspective takes into account country-level characteristics including policies, geography and cultural preferences; the meso-level perspective takes into account the characteristics of the entire network, which may spread over different countries; and the micro-level perspective concerns the unique characteristics of the individuals who make up the network. This approach proposes that the effects of migrant home care go way beyond the care recipient–care-giver dyads or triads to incorporate many individuals and countries that are transnationally interconnected via the work of care. This article also aims to increase public and scientific awareness to the potential impact of migrant care and return migration on elder care in the sending countries by stressing a transnational social network perspective.

关于富裕的接受国中移民对老年人照料的影响的研究已经进行了大量，但我们对移徙者对派遣国的老年人照料的影响知之甚少。在移徙护理人员返回移民的背景下，对老年护理的研究也很有限。这篇理论文章探讨了社交网络观点的潜在相关性，该观点认为即使个人和国家相距遥远，它们也是相互联系的。引入了考虑宏观，中观和微观层面的多层次框架，以更好地说明当前的移民照料安排。宏观角度考虑了国家层面的特征，包括政策，地理和文化偏好；中观视角考虑了整个网络的特性，这些特性可能分布在不同的国家；微观层面则涉及组成网络的个人的独特特征。这种方法提出，移民家庭护理的影响远远超出了受护理者—给予照顾者的二元或三元组，从而纳入了许多通过护理工作而相互联系的个人和国家。本文还旨在通过强调跨国社会网络的观点，提高公众和科学界对移徙者护理和回国移民对送出国老年人护理的潜在影响的认识。微观层面则涉及组成网络的个人的独特特征。这种方法提出，移民家庭护理的影响远远超出了接受护理者—给予照料者的三联体或三联体，从而纳入了许多通过护理工作而相互联系的个人和国家。本文还旨在通过强调跨国社会网络的观点，提高公众和科学界对移徙者护理和回国移民对送出国老年人护理的潜在影响的认识。微观层面则涉及组成网络的个人的独特特征。这种方法提出，移民家庭护理的影响远远超出了接受护理者—给予照料者的三联体或三联体，从而纳入了许多通过护理工作而相互联系的个人和国家。本文还旨在通过强调跨国社会网络的观点，提高公众和科学界对移徙者护理和回国移民对送出国老年人护理的潜在影响的认识。