Contacts between elderly parents and their children in four European countries: current patterns and future prospects

Abstract

Frequency of contacts with the family is an indicator of the strength of intergenerational exchange and potential support for older people. Although the availability of children clearly represents a constraint on potential family support, the extent of interaction with and support received from children depends on factors other than demographic availability alone. This study examined the effects of socio-economic and demographic variables on weekly contacts with children in Great Britain, Italy, Finland and The Netherlands using representative survey data which included information on availability of children and extent of contact. Our results confirm the higher level of parent adult-child contact in Italy than in northern European countries, but levels of contact in all the countries considered were high. Multivariate analysis showed that in most countries characteristics such as divorce were associated with a reduced probability of contact between fathers and children; in Finland this also influenced contact between mothers and children. Analyses are also included of possible future scenarios of contact with children that combine the observed effects of the explanatory variables with hypothetical changes in population distribution.

Marital status of people aged 75 and over in nine EU countries in the period 2000–2030

“…However, among those formerly married, the divorced will come to form an increasing proportion, rising from about 5% in 2001 to about 25% in 2031, and these people may have specific care needs, especially men who are much more likely to lose contact with their children. Studies from a number of societies show that divorced parents, particularly divorced fathers, have less contact with their adult children than parents of other marital statuses (Furstenberg et al 1995;Dykstra 1998;Barrett and Lynch 1999;Tomassini et al 2004). Adult children may feel less commitment to a parent such as a father who was absent during their childhood.…”

Regional family cultures and child care by grandparents in Europe

“…Considerable amounts of help in everyday housework and care are exchanged between parents and children, also when living in separate households, and financial transfers take place both up and down the generational line. Here too, there exists considerable variation across Europe (Bettio and Plantenga 2004;Tomassini et al 2004;AttiasDonfut, Ogg, and Wolff 2005a;2005b;Kohli, Künemund, and Lüdicke 2005;Albertini, Kohli, and Vogel 2007;Hank 2007;Kohli and Albertini 2007;Wolff and Attias-Donfut 2007;Kalmijn and Saraceno 2008;Brandt, Haberkern, and Szydlik 2009;Igel et al 2009;Schenk, Dykstra, and Maas 2009;Dykstra and Fokkema 2011). The variation in family practices and patterns of solidarity between family members is not just shaped by micro-level factors such as the needs and preferences of family members.…”

Gender Differences in the Effects of Divorce, Widowhood and Remarriage on Intergenerational Support: Does Marriage Protect Fathers?

“…In contrast to the findings for parental divorce, the results here do not generally show negative effects. In most studies, there are no significant differences between widowed and married parents in terms of social contacts (Aquilino 1994a; Grundy and Shelton 2001;Lye, Klepinger, Davis Hyle, and Nelson 1995;Tomassini et al 2004). Because there are many more widows than widowers, most of the research on widowhood is based on women (Lopata 1996).…”