Family relationships in later life are complex and often involve several layers of multigenerational interactions. Family relationships are not static, and relationship patterns change over time. As the older population continues to increase in size, roles of elders have expanded and diversified within families, and positive contributions of older adults are being highlighted. Family relationships are shaped by a combination of early life experiences, development over the life span, and historical and social conditions.
Family Units
Only a small percentage of families in the United States have the traditional nuclear family composition. It is common to have various family units, such as single parent families, grandparents parenting children, postdivorce blended families, step families, adult child and parent coresidence, extended families, adult sibling households, homosexual couples with biological or adopted children, and surrogate kin families. Recent literature about older adults...
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Suggested Resources
AARP Grandparent Information Center. www.aarp.org/families/grandparents
Administration on Aging Elders and Family. www.aoa.dhhs.gov/eldfam/eldfam.asp
Children of Aging Parents Organization. www.caps4caregivers.org/links.htm
Generations United Grandparents as Parents. www.gu.org
Legacy Project of Intergenerational Relationships. www.legacyproject.org
National Family Caregivers Association. www.nfcacares.org
United Nations Programme on Aging. www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing/
US Bureau of Census, 2000. http://factfinder.census.gov
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Dearborn, M. (2008). Family Relationships. In: Loue, S.J., Sajatovic, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Aging and Public Health. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-33754-8_174
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-33754-8_174
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