Intergenerational Help and Public Assistance in Europe - A Case of Specialization?

Abstract

Population ageing already is one of the foremost challenges for European societies today, and it will affect more and more countries in future. The balance between old and young is rapidly changing in all industrialized societies and ever less young people will have to care for ever more frail elderly, even if the rising number of healthy life years is taken into consideration (Lafortune et al. 2007). Although until now empirical studies have not accounted for a resulting decline of intergenerational solidarity in Western societies (e.g., Arber and AttiasDonfut 2000;Bengtson 2001;Hank 2007;Silverstein et al. 1998), there is growing concern about the future (see e.g., Walker 1999). In recent times of economic crisis and welfare state retrenchment, the family might become ever more important as a personal 'safety net' while the private resources to support relatives financially and practically are declining. Different social systems have taken different paths to adjust to expected future developments (see e.g., Anttonen and Sipilä 1996;Saraceno and Keck 2010). It is still unclear, however, how they will cope with upcoming challenges. It is thus vitally important to assess how exactly private and public support interact to maintain and mobilize societal resources efficiently. Particularly the analysis of interrelations between state, market, culture, and support between generations might thus provide clues to a successful 'intergenerational policy' in times of progressive population ageing.In order to assess transfers between generations in different societies one has to account for the whole spectrum of transfers between parents and children. Most of the extensive sociological literature on intergenerational transfers deals with assistance to the elderly (Spitze and Logan 1992) and focuses on support with activities of daily living (ADL).Personal care is a very important and often intense form of support with great impact on giver and receiver. From a societal point of view however, it occurs rather seldom and only in cases, where a frail person needs extensive support. Practical help with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) on the contrary is an everyday task that is given, received and 3 exchanged in and between all age and social groups, and has an immense productive function for society. From a theoretical point of view, help with IADL is a very flexible indicator for intergenerational support because it may range from one time support for children moving house to the daily preparation of meals for the older parent. Where 'care' in almost every case also includes 'help' tasks, 'help' does not necessarily include 'care'. Both support forms depend on different influencing factors and have to be understood as different functional dimensions of intergenerational solidarity needing to be analyzed separately Walker et al. 1995).The following analysis, based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) 2004, will therefore focus on practical help with household chores (housework, garden...

Parental health, informal support, and geographic mobility between parents and adult children

“…An important distinction is between the provision of less intensive help tasks (e.g., household chores) on the one hand and more demanding personal care (e.g., assisting with bathing and using the toilet) on the other (Brandt, Haberkern, & Szydlik, 2009;Motel-Klingebiel et al, 2005). Cross-national studies using SHARE show a clear north-south gradient with a high prevalence of low-intensity help provided by children in northern Europe and intensive informal care regimes in southern European countries (Albertini et al, 2007;Bonsang, 2007;Brandt, 2013;Brandt et al, 2009;Ogg & Renaut, 2006). Western and central European countries take an intermediate position, although Austria and Germany demonstrate characteristics of family-based care systems as well (Haberkern & Szydlik, 2010;Motel-Klingebiel et al, 2005).…”

Parental financial support: A safety net for young adults with debt problems

“…Debt problems were less common among those who were living with their parent(s), were studying and did not receive any cash‐welfare benefits (see Tables and ). Furthermore, the prevalence of parental financial support was highest among those in their early 20s, whose disposable income was low (see also Björnberg & Latta, ; Brandt, ), and who were heavy welfare users.…”

“…Western European countries can be roughly categorized into three support or transfer regimes based on their private and public support patterns: Northern, Southern and Central Western (Albertini & Kohli, ; Brandt, ). These regimes overlap with welfare regimes to a great extent (see e.g., Esping‐Andersen, ), and that the prevalence of public assistance in particular explains differences in “support regimes” (Brandt, ) or “transfer regimes” (Albertini & Kohli, ). In short, intergenerational support is more likely to be considered obligatory and inevitable in Southern and Central Western Europe than in Northern European countries (Brandt, ).…”

“…These regimes overlap with welfare regimes to a great extent (see e.g., Esping‐Andersen, ), and that the prevalence of public assistance in particular explains differences in “support regimes” (Brandt, ) or “transfer regimes” (Albertini & Kohli, ). In short, intergenerational support is more likely to be considered obligatory and inevitable in Southern and Central Western Europe than in Northern European countries (Brandt, ).…”

Nagyszülők és unokák. A nagyszülőktől az unokák felé irányuló gondozási transzferek jellege és változása

“…A szerzők megállapítják, hogy a jóléti rezsimek típusa meghatározó a nyújtott segítség és gondozás mennyiségét és arányát illetően. Azokban az országokban, ahol fejlett a jóléti állam (=az állam leveszi az intenzív gondozás terheit a családról) a családtagok sokkal gyakrabban nyújtanak olyan nem intenzív segítséget, amely az állami segítséget önkéntesen kiegészíti, míg a maternalista jóléti rezsimeket fenntartó államokban a családok (ezen belül elsősorban a nők) sokkal gyakrabban vesznek részt kötelességként a rendszeres, intenzív gondozásban (Igel et al, 2009, Brandt, 2011 (Tárkányi, 1998). A II.…”