Living Arrangements and Social Networks of Older Adults

Abstract

In this introductory chapter we describe the rationale for developing a research program on older adults' living arrangements and social networks.We provide arguments for the relevance and importance of work in this area, and provide indications of the kinds of insights we hope to obtain.The chapter ends with a brief overview of what to expect in the book.Throughout the world, a trend toward population aging is visible.Though the quantitative features of changing age structures are widely known and generally undisputed (a higher proportion at the 'older' ages, however defined), the social implications are as yet little known, and often subject to considerable debate and speculation (Day, 1992).Economic concerns have dominated studies on population aging.Attention has focused on the question of how society can financially support an aging population.The picture painted for the future is one of fewer shoulders to bear greater loads.Unfortunately, however, in focusing on the question of how society can financially support an aging population, the elderly are constituted as a cost factor, a burden on society (Warnes, 1993).That way, a biased perspective on the elderly is created and maintained, one which generally portrays the elderly as dependents.What is often neglected is that the elderly are not always on the receiving side (Arber & Ginn, 1990).For example, within families, substantial transfers take place from members of older to members of younger generations.Apart from providing financial support in the forms of donations, gifts and regular monetary contributions (Cheal, 1987;Aldous, 1987; de Regt, 1993), older parents are important sources of instrumental