Specialization between Family and State Intergenerational Time Transfers in Western Europe

Bibliographic Data

ID7842017
AuthorsCorinne Igel (University of Zurich), Martina Brandt (0000-0001-9350-845X), Klaus Haberkern, Marc Szydlik (0009-0006-8215-3853)
Year2009
Volume40
Issue2
Pages203-226
Publication date2009-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Comparative Family Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0047-2328 • E-ISSN: 1929-9850
PublisherUniversity of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.3138/jcfs.40.2.203
OpenAlexW2618741150
LanguageEN
Citations received46
References cited30

Intergenerational time transfers can be differentiated and divided into two support forms: help and care activities. Adult children support their elderly parents with more or less intensive and widely differing transfers ranging from help with household chores and paperwork to personal care. However, elderly people are also an important source of intergenerational support, as they help their children by looking after the grandchildren for example. In general intergenerational solidarity patterns are influenced by opportunity, need, family and culturalcontextual structures, which have differing impacts on help and care: Care is mainly depending on the need structures of the receiver while help activities to parents and children are primarily influenced by the opportunity structures of the giver. Additionally, using the SHARE data, logistic multilevel modeling allows national help and care levels to be traced back to the provision of public services. The empirical findings support the “specialization hypothesis”: A higher national level of social services coincides with less intensive help and more demanding care. Well-developed welfare states thus lower the risk of an overburdening of the family and secure the overall support of older people and young families through efficient collaboration between family and state

Demographic economics · Economic growth · Economics · Family support · Political science · Social support · Social Welfare · Solidarity · Welfare · Welfare state · Family Dynamics and Relationships · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Medicine · Psychology · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Social Psychology

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