Non-kin ties as a source of support amongst older adults ‘left behind’ in Poland: a quantitative study on the role of geographic distance

Abstract

In the transition to democracy and a market economy, the Central and Eastern European countries experienced rapid and fundamental changes. Large-scale emigration flows and pronounced reductions in previously universal welfare systems increased the phenomenon of 'left behind' older adults. We examine this phenomenon in the case of Poland, a rather family-oriented society which in recent years sent most emigrants to Western Europe in absolute terms. Employing a support system framework and representative survey data, we enquire into older adults' support patterns. Our results suggest that older adults in Poland rely predominantly on family support, although this varies greatly across living arrangements. We also find a positive association between distance separating parents and their closest child, and support from at least one non-kin. Yet, our findings reveal differences between practical and emotional support, with the latter being more likely to be provided by non-kin, but with distance mattering to a lesser degree. Parents with very distant child(ren) are few and differ only from parents with very proximate child(ren), a finding prompting the question as to what is the difference between being 'left behind' by international and by internal migration. We conclude that the phenomenon of 'left behind' in Poland, at least in terms of support, is less a matter of children's migration and more an issue of household and regional context. KEY WORDS -migration, social support, non-kin ties, left behind, Poland, quantitative analysis.

Urban green spaces for the social interaction, health and well-being of older people— An integrated view of urban ecosystem services and socio-environmental justice

“…Spatial proximity, the act of "being there," renders neighbors attentive and reliable contacts. In a study on older people's support systems in Poland, Conkova and King (2019) find that the farther away older people live from their family, the more they tend to establish nonkin networks. They also report that non-kin carers engage more in emotional than practical support.…”

“…Die dritte thematische Dimension, Debatten zu sozialen Unterstützungssystemen im Alter, ist aus geographischer Perspektive vor allem in der Verhandlung der Bedeutung von räumlicher Nähe und Distanz von Interesse. Hierbei rückt die Nachbarschaft als Anlaufpunkt für Unterstützung in den Vordergrund, insbesondere, weil es seltener wird, dass Angehörige von Älteren in der Nähe wohnen und tägliche Unterstützung leisten können (Conkova & King, 2019;Nocon & Pearson, 2000). Auch im Fall von zunehmender Gebrechlichkeit gewinnt die Nachbarschaft als Anlaufpunkt für soziale Kontakte an Bedeutung und wirkt sich, wenn eine älterer Person sozial eingebunden ist, positiv auf das Wohlbefinden aus (Buffel, 2017;Cramm et al, 2013;Lager et al, 2015).…”

“…Enßle & Helbrecht, 2018;Hopkins & Pain, 2007) oder zur Aushandlung verschiedener Identitäten durch Räume (Valentine, 2007) (Conkova & King, 2019), während räumliche Nähe gleichzeitig die Entwicklung von unverbindlichen Kontakten mit Unbekannten ermöglicht (Granovetter, 1973;Nocon & Pearson, 2000). An diese Erkenntnisse anknüpfend zeigen die empirischen (McMullin, 2000).…”

Does spatial proximity supplant family ties? Exploring the role of neighborly support for older people in diverse, aging cities

“…Spatial proximity, the act of "being there," renders neighbors attentive and reliable contacts. In a study on older people's support systems in Poland, Conkova and King (2019) find that the farther away older people live from their family, the more they tend to establish non-kin networks. They also report that non-kin carers engage more in emotional than practical support.…”

Migrations in ageing society – consequences for the family

“…The lack of practical support from the migrant children is compensated for, to some degree, by the support provided by other family members as well as, more and more frequently, by nonrelatives. In the view of the authors, social policy should be directed at strengthening of non-formal support for older adults, for example financial support of neighborhood aid (Conkova & King, 2019).…”