Summary
The concept dependency is used in several meanings. Misunderstandings between scientists about the concept and misinterpretations of different research findings by policy-makers are caused by the lack of — at least — a frame of reference about dependency.
Making an inventory of the several meanings of dependency shows as common elements that dependency always includes a negatively evaluated situation or characteristics of an individual, defined as such by the individual and/or his environment. This ‘definition of the situation’ may be objectively based or not. Defining dependency on the basis of these elements it seems that dependency and independency are relatively rare types of relationships. Most relationships are interdependent; the limits of interdependency are set by generally accepted norms.
So far neither the elderly person himself nor his significant other are important in assessing dependency or interdependency. The most used criteria are set by professionals. These are — at best — incomplete.
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van den Heuvel, W. (1976). The Meaning of Dependency. In: Munnichs, J.M.A., van den Heuvel, W.J.A. (eds) Dependency or Interdependency in Old Age. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1409-0_16
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1409-0_16
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