Support Exchanges Among Very Old Parents and Their Children: Findings From the Boston Aging Together Study.
Intergenerational relationships
Longevity
Relationship quality
Social support
Journal
The Gerontologist
ISSN: 1758-5341
Titre abrégé: Gerontologist
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0375327
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
28 03 2022
28 03 2022
Historique:
received:
15
01
2021
pubmed:
28
3
2021
medline:
5
4
2022
entrez:
27
3
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Very old parents and their "old" children are a growing group in industrialized countries worldwide. Care needs of very old parents can be substantial, while children may also face their own age-related issues. Continued mutual support represents an important pathway to addressing emerging care needs. This study aimed to identify patterns of support exchanges occurring in very old parent-child dyads and to ascertain associated individual and relationship factors. Participants were 114 very old parents (aged ≥90) and their children (aged ≥65) from the Boston Aging Together Study. Data were collected using comprehensive, semistructured in-person interviews with both dyad members, including standardized assessments of support exchanges, relationship quality, health, and perceptions of family norms. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were used to predict upward and downward support reported by children and parents. Both dyad members not only reported substantial upward support (child to parent) in all domains but also notable amounts of downward (parent to child) in the domains of emotional support, listening, and socializing. Findings showed significant associations of parent functional impairment, parent and child relationship quality, and child perceptions of family obligation with upward support and of relationship quality with downward support. Continued support exchanges among very old parents and their children indicated that intergenerational theories still hold up in very late-life relationships. Health care professionals should be aware that attention to relationship quality and family norms might be vital to ensure that support needs are met.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Very old parents and their "old" children are a growing group in industrialized countries worldwide. Care needs of very old parents can be substantial, while children may also face their own age-related issues. Continued mutual support represents an important pathway to addressing emerging care needs. This study aimed to identify patterns of support exchanges occurring in very old parent-child dyads and to ascertain associated individual and relationship factors.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Participants were 114 very old parents (aged ≥90) and their children (aged ≥65) from the Boston Aging Together Study. Data were collected using comprehensive, semistructured in-person interviews with both dyad members, including standardized assessments of support exchanges, relationship quality, health, and perceptions of family norms. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models were used to predict upward and downward support reported by children and parents.
RESULTS
Both dyad members not only reported substantial upward support (child to parent) in all domains but also notable amounts of downward (parent to child) in the domains of emotional support, listening, and socializing. Findings showed significant associations of parent functional impairment, parent and child relationship quality, and child perceptions of family obligation with upward support and of relationship quality with downward support.
DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
Continued support exchanges among very old parents and their children indicated that intergenerational theories still hold up in very late-life relationships. Health care professionals should be aware that attention to relationship quality and family norms might be vital to ensure that support needs are met.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33772286
pii: 6189800
doi: 10.1093/geront/gnab043
pmc: PMC8963138
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
375-384Subventions
Organisme : NIA NIH HHS
ID : R21 AG054668
Pays : United States
Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
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