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Publication

Care for Older People in Multigenerational Families: a Life Course Analysis across Four Generations

Powell, Catherine
Publication Date
2015
End of Embargo
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Rights
© 2015 Policy Press. This is a post-peer-review, pre-copy edited version of an article published in Families, Relationships and Societies. The definitive publisher-authenticated version will be available at http://www.policypress.co.uk/journals_frs.asp?
Peer-Reviewed
Yes
Open Access status
openAccess
Accepted for publication
2015-11-23
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Department
Awarded
Embargo end date
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Abstract
As the population ages, a key question is to how support older people who are in need of some form of care. This article highlights how older people may be embedded in multigenerational familial care networks. It explores the ways in which care and support for great-grandparents are worked out in multigenerational families, as well as between informal and formal sources of support. Methods involve qualitative life history interviews with five four-generation families. Findings suggest that care is worked out through a balance of care, need and support across generations. Depending on available resources, this produces a variety of support outcomes including: home based family care with and without supplemented professional help, sheltered accommodation with family care, institutional care as well as fluctuations between different support patterns. Supporting informal care networks through professional support can help multiple generations balance intergenerational relationships across the shifts between greater dependency and independence.
Version
Accepted manuscript
Citation
Powell C (2015) Care for Older People in Multigenerational Families: a Life Course Analysis across Four Generations. Families, Relationships and Societies. Published online Dec 21, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1332/204674315X14501049198493
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Link to published version
Type
Article
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Notes