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Social network type and informal care use in later life: a comparison of three Dutch birth cohorts aged 75–84
- Authors:
- SUANET Bianca, van GROENOU Marjolein Broese, van TILBURG Theo G.
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 39(4), 2019, pp.749-770.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Recent societal changes have increased the salience of non-kin relationships. It can be questioned whether network types that are more strongly non-kin-based give more informal care nowadays. This study examines how informal care use differs according to network type for three birth cohorts. Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) on older adults aged 75–84 years, interviewed in 1992, 2002 and 2012, respectively (total sample size N = 2,151, analytical sample having functional limitations N = 926). The study identified four network types: restricted, family-focused with a partner, family-focused without a partner and wider community-focused diverse networks. Wider community-focused diverse networks are more common in the late birth cohort, whereas restricted networks and family-focused networks without a partner are less common. Logistic regression analyses reveal that those in a family-focused network with a partner use informal care more often than those in the other three network types, and insignificant interaction terms show that this does not differ by birth cohort. Irrespective of their network type, those in the late birth cohort use informal care less often. However, after controlling for need, predisposing and context factors, this cohort-difference is no longer significant. The study concludes that despite large-scale societal changes, wider community-focused diverse networks do not provide more informal care than before and that among the functionally impaired, the odds of receiving informal care does not decline across birth cohorts. (Edited publisher abstract)
Socio-economic status differences in older people's use of informal and formal help: a comparison of four European countries
- Authors:
- van GROENOU Marjolein Broese, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 26(5), September 2006, pp.745-766.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This study investigates the variations by older people's socio-economic status (SES) (i.e. educational level and social class) in the use of informal and formal help from outside the household in Great Britain, Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands. In all these countries, it was older people in low SES groups who mostly used such help. Multinomial logistic regression analyses showed that, in each country and for both types of help, there were SES gradients in the utilisation of both formal and informal care, and that differences in age, health and marital status largely accounted for the former but not the latter. Cross-national differences in the use of both informal and formal help remained when variations in sex, age, SES, health, marital status, home ownership and the use of privately-paid help were taken into account. Significant interaction effects were found, which indicated that older people in low SES groups in Great Britain and The Netherlands had higher odds of using informal help from outside the household than their counterparts in Italy, and similarly that those in The Netherlands were more likely to use formal help than their Italian peers. The results are discussed in relation to the cultural differences and variations in the availability of formal services among the countries.
Formal and informal social participation of the “young-old” in the Netherlands in 1992 and 2002
- Authors:
- van GROENOU Marjolein Broese, DEEG Dorly J.H.
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 30(3), April 2010, pp.445-465.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) was used to compare the formal and informal social participation of 60-69 year olds in the Netherlands in 1992 and 2002, and examine which attributes of the two cohorts favour social participation. Data collection was through a face-to-face interview on physical, emotional, cognitive and social functioning, a medical interview with clinical measurements, and a self-completion questionnaire. The 1992 cohort comprised 1,008 respondents and the 2002 cohort 848 respondents. Cohort differences in formal participation (as members of organisations, in volunteer work and in religious organisations) and in informal participation (having a large social network, and in cultural and recreational activities) were associated with cohort differences in individual characteristics (level of education, health, employment status, and marital status). An increase was seen between 1992 and 2002 in all forms of participation except religious involvement. The 2002 cohort members were more educated and more engaged in employment, but in worse health and had a higher prevalence of divorce than the 1992 cohort members. Logistic regression analysis showed that the positive effect on social participation of the 2002 cohort’s higher educational level was suppressed by the negative effect of their worse health. Being divorced had a mixed effect on formal and informal participation, but the difference in the number of divorcees did not explain cohort differences in social participation. Interaction effects showed that the influence of gender and health on volunteer work and religious involvement changed over time. Implications for future practice are discussed.