Joseph found that there had been research performed among the South East Asian community in the United States concerning aging and care-giving, but there had a been a lack of studies among the Asian Indian community. None of the studies that she did find were about the attitudes towards the elderly in that community, so the lack of literature on the subject and her own experiences led her to conduct her study about the attitudes towards the elderly and care giving in Asian Indian community. Her thesis was titled "Attitudes Towards the Elderly and Care-giving Among the Asian Indian Community Residing in Cincinnati."

Traditional Indian values venerate the elderly and they are treated with much respect. Joseph writes, "Traditionally, Indian elderly are known for wisdom and knowledge and are accorded much respect, honor and many privileges." Joseph goes on to say that the elderly are usually cared for by their children, the eldest son providing socio-economic care and his wife, the daughter-in-law, providing most of the daily assistance care. If someone does not provide for their parents, they are seen as shirking their duties and familial responsibilities. Therefore, most elderly reside in multigenerational households. In the modern world these traditional values are maintained, Joseph writes, "These values have been passed on over the generations through formal and informal schooling and continue to govern attitudes and behaviors towards the elderly despite industrialization, urbanization and modernization which bring with them western values of independence, individualism and self sufficiency."

When Asian Indians then immigrate, they bring their values with them, including the obligation to care for their parents. These families will often provide for their parents to move with them to their new home and offer care giving for them. They are, however, faced with a new set of difficulties as they no longer have extended family to help with the care and often both adults in the home work and find it difficult to care for the parents they have living with them. It is looked down upon to hire assistant living care to help and the women are still expected to care for relatives, even with a full-time job, so they find themselves in difficult situations. Despite these difficulties, according to Joseph, "studies show that they don't acknowledge care giving as burdensome … because care-giving defines their identity and for them, retaining identity of an ideal Indian woman is important."

For her study Joseph interviewed five Asian Indian women who had not lived in the United States longer than five years and who had experienced care giving. All of these women were well educated and three were employed while the other two were not. The relationship between the care-giver and the elderly person receiving care were mother and daughter or mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Joseph conducted open-ended interviews and recorded everything that was said.

Joseph's main finding from the interviews is that the care-givers had a dual perception about the role. They accepted it as the traditional Asian Indian relationship with their own parents, but did not expect that their children would do the same for them. Rather, they had a more Western expectation for their own care when they were elderly. These findings were consistent with other studies that have been done; that the core values of individuals change in cases such as immigration. So, while maintaining traditional values in respect to their own role as care-givers, they have also adopted Western values of individualism, success and careers, especially for their children.

Joseph also found that the elderly individuals' status changed upon coming to the United States. They were no longer held in such a high position of esteem and they were not encouraged to participate with their children and grandchildren's lives in decision-making and advice.

So, in conclusion, Joseph found a duality in her subjects' attitudes towards care-giving as they anticipated total assimilation of their children into American society, but still maintained the traditional expectations for themselves. Finally, Joseph hopes that her work could be helpful to caregivers, "I feel that my study will be significant to health care providers by preparing them to anticipate an increased number of clients who will require culture-sensitive services."
Joseph will be leaving soon for India and will be greatly missed by the department. She looks forward to her move and to graduation in March.

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