Gerontology September 24 2012 Family Relationships Sibling Relationships Longest lasting relationship Siblings maintain frequent contact throughout life In general bonds with sisters are closer than bonds with brothers Sibling relationships will be particularly important to Baby Boomers because they have more siblings than children In midlife Become closer in response to major life events ex launching adult children loss of parent Conflicts over caring for their aging parents Late life Insurance policy in times of crisis More contact for widowed never married siblings Today s Grandparents of people become grandparents by age 65 Role has changed in recent decades More positive and closer than in the past Grandparents healthier and more active than in previous decades Grandparent Grandchild Relationships Gender Differences Closer relationships with grandmothers vs grandfathers Closer relationships between grandparents an their same sex grandchildren Geographic Distance Most grandparents live close to at least one grandchild Family Structure Important during family transitions ex parental divorce Socioeconomic Status SES influences relationship Higher SES not essential to the family functioning Lower SES grandparents play an essential role Grandparenting Styles Companionate Friend Apportionate Close affectionate without specific role Remote Less involved Involved Geographically close assumes parent like responsibilities Individualized Emotionally close but still less involved Authoritative or Influential Provide extensive support Custodial Grandparenting Parents by default primary caregivers Occurs when adult child cannot care for grandchild Reasons Drug addiction mental illness in prison parental death etc Challenges Medical insurance enrolling in school new parenting issues economic costs health social isolation etc Promoting Positives Ties Emphasize positive communication Avoid unnecessary comments that are a holdover from childhood Accept the possibility that some cultural values lifestyle etc will be different for the next generation Resist the urge to fix things for your adult child Be clear about your own needs and preferences Intergenerational Relationships Parents view the relationship as closer and less conflicted than offspring do Most intimate and conflicted Mother daughter Continuity in the quality of the relationship The Sandwich Generation In 1980 s term to describe women in midlife Refers to caring for children parents Thought to occur in response to Increasing life expectancy Rapid increases in female employment Is this generational squeeze normative Small percentage formally caring for children parents simultaneously 8 BUT are juggling multiple family responsibilities Launching children Caring for grandchildren Assisting aging parent Intergenerational Exchanges of Support Midlife parents Give more than they receive Older adult parents Continue to give support to their adult offspring expect emotional support Adult offspring Middle aged offspring give more support to their aging parents Assistance to Parents Offspring provide assistance to parents to help with Instrumental Activities of daily living IADLs Need assistance appears earlier Ex Personal care meal preparation manage money and housework Activities of daily living ADLs Need for assistance emerges later in life Ex Bathing dressing toileting getting out of bed Bathing most common limitation Most disabling inability to feed oneself Is there a role reversal Do adult children take on the role of parenting their parents in later life Reality Role reversal not true reflection of relationships Parents remain capable of decision making in the face of dependence Longest lasting relationship Siblings and 2nd parents
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