Amy Luk Ching Yee
“Anam Cara Nanny/Caregiver Support”, Hong Kong

Abstract

This paper provides a proof of value for sustained decision support in a specific Hong Kong context: Anam Cara ("Soul friend") support for caregiver/nannies' decisions on whether to say “YES” to an offer from a family to look after the mother and her newborn baby during the post-partum confinement period. The participants were three trained post-partum helpers/nannies, and three senior family members (grandmothers ). They were each considering an offer to say "Yes" to stay with the post-partum mothers' family to function as a nanny for taking care of the newborn baby and the mother, where the nanny needs to stay at home with the family for eight hours a day and work. Our findings address: Prevalence of Anam Caras ("Soul Friends") in implementing “Zouyue” (Chinese traditional concept for "taking rest totally in the post-partum month"); The helper/nanny as her own “Anam Cara”; having an Anam Cara–style identity; Unconditional positive regard and self-love; Asserting companionship between mothers and helpers; Shared vulnerability and mutual transformation; Saying “YES”: initiates inspired companionship.

Keywords Sustainable decision support, Aman Cara ontology, Positive regard, Hong Kong Post-partum Nannies

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