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Longer lives, stronger families? The changing nature of intergenerational support
- Author:
- KEOHANE Nigel
- Publisher:
- Social Market Foundation
- Publication year:
- 2016
- Pagination:
- 65
- Place of publication:
- London
This study charts how the shape of the extended family has evolved over time and explores how the support given across the intergenerational family has changed historically and how it may alter in the future. Families have tended to get longer and thinner over time due to a combination of longer lives, fluctuation in the average age of first-time mothers and reduced fertility and at the same time, there has been a trend towards greater heterogeneity of family types and the traditional ‘nuclear family’ has changed dramatically. The report show the continuing and growing importance of intergenerational family assistance, with more than three quarters of the population agreeing that ‘with people living longer, it is even more important that families stay connected across the generations’. The paper identifies a number of potential challenges ahead associated with these societal and demographic shifts, including: living patterns of intergenerational families may diverge, with some intergenerational families co-residing, others geographically separated and a growing proportion growing old without children or grandchildren; pensioners may struggle to balance the twin demands of younger family members needing support for major life events and living costs versus their own needs in retirement; people in their middle years may see their hopes and expectations of receiving an inheritance or major gift thwarted; and ‘in-betweeners’ in their 60s may find themselves facing triple pressures of continuing in work as the state pension age rises, caring for an elderly parent and providing grandparental childcare. (Edited publisher abstract)
“It should have been happening to me”: the psychosocial issues older caregiving mothers experience
- Authors:
- RAVEIS Victoria H., PRETTER Sheindy, CARRERO Monique
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Family Social Work, 13(2), March 2010, pp.131-148.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The occurrence of cancer is an event of significant importance to family functioning. The present analysis reports on an understudied group profoundly affected by this health event: older mothers caring for an adult child with cancer. As part of a study of breast cancer survivors and their family caregivers, a subsample of 13 older caregiving mothers with a mean age of 68 participated in in-depth focused interviews. The interviews covered a variety of topics, including their reaction to their relative’s cancer and its treatment, the circumstances leading to their assumption of caregiving, changes in their relationship with their ill relative since the illness, their assessment of the ill relative’s support needs, their caregiving experiences, and their perceived vulnerability to cancer. The interviews, conducted in English or Spanish, were audio-taped, transcribed, and subjected to content analysis. Analyses of the mothers' accounts elucidate complex psychosocial reactions to their adult daughters' cancer diagnosis that are informed by life-cycle considerations. These reactions, which include a reawakening of maternal behaviour, a need to come to terms with the asynchronous nature of their daughters' health event, and an intense feeling of personal responsibility, illustrate the need for family-centred care in oncology.
Marital history and intergenerational solidarity: the impact of divorce and unmarried cohabitation
- Author:
- DAATLAND Svein Olav
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Issues, 63(4), 2007, pp.809-825.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Among the more recent challenges for the family are the increasing divorce rates and the decline in marriages. This article examines the possible consequences of these trends for intergenerational family relationships. How does divorce in the parent generation, and the shift from marriage to unmarried cohabitation among adult children, affect intergenerational solidarity? These questions are explored with data from the Norwegian Life Course, Ageing and Generation Study (NorLAG, n = 5,589, age 40–79). Scandinavian countries have high divorce and cohabitation rates and may therefore be of interest as comparative cases for countries where these events are less institutionalized. The findings suggest, however, that Norway accommodates to the general norm in the sense that divorce among parents is associated with lower solidarity with adult children on most solidarity dimensions. This is more true for fathers than for mothers. There is, on the other hand, no difference in solidarity between married and cohabitating children vis à vis the parent generation. The explanations and implications of these findings are discussed.
Orphan pensioners and migrating grandparents: the impact of mass migration on older people in rural Albania
- Authors:
- KING Russell, VULLNETARI Julie
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 26(5), September 2006, pp.783-816.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Since 1990, Albania has witnessed rural out-migration on a massive scale, both to other countries, chiefly Italy and Greece, and internally to Tirana and other major towns. The scale of this migration has disrupted the multi-generational rural social and kinship systems that, before 1990, displayed strong and coherent family bonds, and simultaneously accommodated paternalistic state directives and were supported by welfare provision for all members of the population. The sudden political, social and rural dislocations that followed the end of the communist regime have made older people particularly vulnerable: many have been left behind by their emigrant children, creating the phenomenon of socially-isolated ‘elderly orphans’. While the migrants' remittances cushion this social isolation, the loss of children and grandchildren through emigration has undermined older people's self-respect and raison d'être in Albanian family life. This paper, based on fieldwork and interviews in regions of heavy out-migration in northern and southern Albania, examines the human impact of emigration on the older people who have been left behind as well as their coping mechanisms, one being to follow their children abroad to care for the grandchildren, enabling the ‘middle generation’, working-age parents both to engage in paid work.
Le fonctionnement familial percu en contexte de soutien a domicile d'un parent age
- Author:
- VEZINA Aline
- Journal article citation:
- Canadian Social Work Review, 20(2), 2003, pp.203-226.
- Publisher:
- Canadian Association for Social Work Education
This qualitative and exploratory Canadian study investigates perceived family dynamics in caregiving and compares the perspectives of primary caregivers, depending on whether the caregiver is the elderly person's spouse or child and whether or not the elderly person has dementia and associated problems. Data from 31 semi structured interviews of caregivers were analysed using McMacter's model. The results show that, for various reasons of their own, spouses and daughters ask for less help from other family members. Some aspects of family dynamics appear to be different in situations involving an older person with dementia or a difficult personality. [Article in French].
Understanding the well-being of care receivers
- Authors:
- PRUCHNO Rachel A., BURANT Christopher J., PETERS Norah D.
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 37(1), February 1997, pp.102-109.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
A model in which the contributions made by older care receivers to their family members predicted personal control and ultimately psychological well-being of older people living in multi-generational households was proposed and tested. Data from people over the age of 60 reveals that physical health predicts the extent to which elders contribute to the family, with those in poorer health giving less help to family members than those in better health. Elder contributions to the family increased the sense of control experienced by the older person. Although personal control increased the overall sense of psychological well-being experienced by the older care receivers, there was no direct relationship between the elder's contributions to the family and psychological well-being.
Caregiving in times of uncertainty: helping adult children of aging parents find support during the COVID-19 outbreak
- Authors:
- LIGHTFOOT Elizabeth, MOONE Rajean P.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 63(6-7), 2020, pp.542-552.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The COVID-19 pandemic, which is especially dangerous to older people, has disrupted the lives of older people and their family caregivers. This commentary outlines the adaptive and emerging practices in formal supportive services for family caregivers, the changing types of support that family caregivers are providing to their older relatives, and the ways family caregivers are seeking informal caregiving support during the COVID-19 outbreak. (Edited publisher abstract)
The positive effects of caring for family carers of older adults: a scoping review
- Authors:
- PYSKLYWEC Alex, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Care and Caring, 4(3), 2020, pp.349-375.
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
The negative effects of caring are well documented; however, positive effects have received less attention. A scoping review of 22 studies published between 2000 and 2018 was conducted regarding the positive effects of family caring for older adults. Our analysis revealed that positive effects are embedded in relationships, summarised in three themes: in relationship with one’s self (the carer), for example, personal growth; in relationship with the care recipient, for example, a deepened dyadic relationship; and in relationship with others, for example, new care-related relationships. Seeing the positive effects of caring relationally may shape environmental factors, such as assistive device, social policy or health services development. (Publisher abstract)
The prevalence of potentially abusive behaviours in family caregiving: findings from a national survey of family carers of older people
- Authors:
- LAFFERTY Attracta, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Age and Ageing, 45(5), 2016, pp.703-707.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Background: Family caregiving can be both rewarding and fulfilling; however, conflicts can occur in the caregiving relationship, and some family carers may engage in behaviours that could be potentially harmful to the older person for whom them provide care. Objective: To determine the prevalence of potentially abusive behaviours towards older people by family carers. Design: A postal cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of family carers of community-dwelling older people. Subjects: A randomly selected sample of family carers in receipt of a social welfare payment for the care they provide to a relative aged 65 and older. Methods: a self-completion questionnaire was posted to 4,000 family carers of older people across Ireland, and a total of 2,311 eligible completed questionnaires were returned, yielding a response rate of 58%. Results: More than a third of family carers (36.8%) reported that they engaged in potentially harmful behaviours towards their older family member in the 3 months prior to the survey. Of those potentially harmful behaviours, a third (35.9%) reported that they engaged in potentially harmful psychological behaviours and 8% reported engaging in potentially harmful physical behaviours. Conclusions: Potentially abusive carer behaviours need to be detected at an early stage so that preventive interventions can be introduced to avert caregiving situations deteriorating into serious cases of elder abuse. (Publisher abstract)
The family's big conversation: planning ahead for later life
- Authors:
- LEGAL & GENERAL, ELDERLY ACCOMMODATION COUNSEL
- Publishers:
- Legal & General, Elderly Accommodation Counsel
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 23
- Place of publication:
- London
Drawing on the findings of a survey of 1050 people, this report sheds light on the conversations that families are having about managing and supporting elderly parents and how they are planning the right balance of support and independence so crucial to later life. Key findings include: 96 per cent of all respondents have a mother aged 60 years or over and 52 per cent have parents aged over 81 years; being able to visit elderly parents regularly and within a reasonable travel time is important to family members, but over 10 per cent live an hour away with a further 28 per cent living between 1-3 hours away; 60 per cent provide regular support by helping with shopping and hospital appointments and 81 per cent prepare a meal; 69 per cent are worried about their parents physical decline and 67 per cent are worried about them being lonely and isolated; the use of assistive technology such as Skype, text and email is playing an important role in helping people keep in touch which is especially important for those living further away – 45 per cent of parents have broadband and 42 per cent wear an alert pendant or wristband; 27 per cent of families have had to leave work for either part of or a full day to help with an unexpected event. (Edited publisher abstract)