Scholars Delve Into How Money, Family Structure, and Culture Influence Care of the Elderly

Contact: Elizabeth Cronen, (202) 261-5723, ecronen@urban.org

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 12, 2008—Who cares for the elderly and at what cost concern policymakers and laypeople alike, for the Census Bureau predicts that more than 20 percent of the U.S. population will be older than 65 by 2050, compared to just 12 percent in 2000. Intergenerational Caregiving, a new book from the Urban Institute Press, reveals how social, cultural, demographic, and financial circumstances shape care and support arrangements for Americans as they age, as well as for family members of all ages facing disability and special needs.

Editors Alan Booth, Ann C. Crouter, Suzanne M. Bianchi, and Judith A. Seltzer collect the insights of more than a dozen economists and sociologists, whose detailed essays highlight the issues that legislators, program managers, and advocates must consider as America grays. The book cites evidence that the advent of Social Security in the 20th century improved the financial position of the elderly, whose higher retirement incomes led to a sharp decline in the proportion of aged parents living with their adult children. Income and housing decisions likely would change again if, as one author speculates, future adjustments to Social Security shrink benefits for retirees or raise taxes on their adult children.

Along with finances, changes in family structure and roles will have real consequences for the care of the elderly, write the contributors to Intergenerational Caregiving. In particular, they cite the rising average age at which women marry and first bear children, as well as the late 20th-century influx of women into the workforce. For example, an adult daughter—traditionally, the family member most likely to house and assist an elderly parent—may be more apt to hire caregiving help or enlist her siblings' assistance if she has a career.

The book also discusses the role of divorce and single parenthood, noting that fathers with weak ties to their children might expect little direct or financial assistance from their offspring later in life. Yet the expanded definition of family that comes with step-parents and step-children may widen the pool of potential caregivers for these men.

Demographic changes can also alter the caregiving landscape. The authors report the differences in caregiving attitudes and behaviors between non-Hispanic whites and various racial and ethnic groups. They find that African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics feel more obligated to care for elderly parents than non-Hispanic whites. The book notes the U.S. Census Bureau projects the Hispanic population will rise from 15 percent of the total population today to 30 percent by 2050, and the Asian proportion of the population will rise from 5 percent to 9 percent. The authors stress that understanding demographics and culture will be vital to future research and policymaking on care for the elderly.

Complex social, economic, and demographic factors will affect the provision of housing and assistance for the rapidly growing elderly population. Intergenerational Caregiving informs such decisionmaking with facts and analysis from multiple perspectives.

Intergenerational Caregiving, edited by Alan Booth, Ann C. Crouter, Suzanne M. Bianchi, and Judith A. Seltzer, is available from the Urban Institute Press (paper, 6"x9", 430 pages, ISBN 978-0-87766-747-6, $29.50). Order online at http://www.uipress.org, call 410-516-6956, or dial 1-800-537-5487 toll free. Read more, including the introductory chapter, at http://www.urban.org/books/intergenerationalcaregiving/index.cfm.

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