Changes in Contact and Support Within Intergenerational Relationships in the Netherlands: a Cohort and Time-Sequential Perspective

Abstract

This study investigates whether the frequency of contact and support exchanged in relationships between parents and adult children declines over successive cohorts and over individual time in the Netherlands.

The Intergenerational Care Potential of Dutch Older Adults in 1992 and 2002

“…The pressure of combining employment and caregiving responsibilities might lead to less contact and support between older parents and adult children. In the study by van der Pas et al (2007) parents aged 55 to 65 years as well as their children were in 2002 more often employed (40 per cent and 84 per cent, respectively) than parents and their children in 1992 (31 per cent and 72 per cent, respectively). The results showed that parent's and child's (part-time or full-time) employment was not related to contact frequency.…”

“…In 1990 these percentages were 33 per cent and 22 per cent, respectively. In 2002 a further decline in intergenerational co-residence was observed at 23 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively (van der Pas et al 2007). Considering adults aged 55 years up to 89 years the figures in Table 10.1 indicate that intergenerational co-residence is on a very low level; 6 per cent of the parents co-resides with at least one child.…”

“…Across historical time, there has been a large decline in the proportion of elderly people living in intergenerational households. However, a more detailed analysis by van der Pas et al (2007) showed that between 1992 and 2002 there was an increase in the number of children living within 15 minutes traveling time, while the number of children further away was stable. Therefore the decreasing rate of co-residence is not necessarily at the expense of the availability of care potential.…”

“…This attitude refers to the extent to which adult children are expected to provide support and care to their aging parents (Seelbach and Sauer 1977). In general, parental expectations are high and most older parents expect care both from daughters and sons, unless a specific adjustment of the home or work situation is required -it is believed that it is easier for daughters to adjust their situation (van der Pas et al 2005). When parents have low expectations, however, this does not demonstrate a structural weakness in the relationships or indicate a lack of solidarity by definition.…”

Societal Dynamics in Personal Networks

“…Despite a decrease in proximity of children, they observed an increase in contact across cohorts, which can partly be explained by structural factors, such as a decline in family size and improvements in means of communication. Van der Pas et al (2007) examined relationships of young-old parents and their adult children over two successive cohorts in the Netherlands. Parents of the later cohort had more contact and support exchanges with their children than the earlier cohort, revealing that families have not declined in importance.…”