The Hidden Among the Hidden African-American Elder Male Caregivers

The growing number of elder men providing hands-on care to loved ones, particularly spouses, undeniably represents a hidden segment of the home care population. With that in consideration, caregiving in communities of color, in particular, is increasing while numbers of informal (unpaid) caregivers are projected to triple by 2030. Despite statistics, studies on African-American men who care for other elders (such as spouses and parents) -- indeed, "the hidden among the hidden" -- are negligible. This text follows a study conducted by Helen Black, a research scientist focusing on aging, alongside John Groce and Charles Harmon, founders of Mature Africans Learning from Each Other (M.A.L.E.), in which they interviewed elderly African-American men in caregiver roles. As a whole, The Hidden Among the Hidden is unique in its study of caregiving in the areas of subject matter, methodology, and presentation of findings. The men whose attitudes and behaviors toward caregiving are recorded in this book share a wealth of knowledge for other caregivers, gerontologists, healthcare professionals, students, and the community in general.

Helen K. Black, PhD, has designed and conducted federally- and privately-funded gerontological research studies, ethnographically interviewing participants, analyzing qualitative data, and writing up results on subjects as varied as suffering, poverty, forgiveness, African-American veterans, and childless women. She has authored over 40 articles, five book chapters, and three books in the field of gerontology.

John T. Groce, DEd, co-founder of M.A.L.E. (Mature Africans Learning from Each Other), is a long-time activist. His training in social work placed him in the arena of education, administration, and the city streets -- gaining human services for the most vulnerable. He has authored several articles on elder males and, along with Black and Harmon, the book From Zero to Eighty: Two African American Men's Narrative of Racism, Suffering, Survival, and Transformation.

Charles E. Harmon, co-founder of M.A.L.E. (Mature Africans Learning from Each Other), is a long-time activist. As a radio personality on the progressive radio station WDAS in the 1960s and 1970s, his guests were the "movers and shakers" in the African-American community. He has authored, along with Black and Groce, From Zero to Eighty: Two African American Men's Narrative of Racism, Suffering, Survival, and Transformation.