Drawing on data from a case-control study of physical abuse of the elderly, this paper examines conflicting hypotheses: (1) that the increased dependency of an older person causes stress for relatives, who then respond with physical violence versus (2) that the increased dependency of the abusive relative leads to maltreatment. The results of quantitative and qualitative analyses are consistent: the elderly victims were not likely to be more dependent, but were instead more likely to be supporting the dependent abuser. These findings have important implications for social exchange theory and for policy towards the aging.

The dangers of dependency: New findings on domestic violence against the elderly.

The article reviews the research of the past 10 years on the major alternatives to the traditional nuclear family [in the United States]; documents the gradually increasing pluralism; summarizes what is now known about each of the major nontraditional family forms; and notes the primary research needs. (EXCERPT)

Nontraditional family forms: a decade of research

Emergency department protocol for the diagnosis and evaluation of geriatric abuse

Much has been written in recent years about changes in family and household structure in the United States. Analyses based on census data or other cross sections indicate that fewer adults live in families, especially the nuclear family of husband, wife, and minor children. Analyses based on cross sections also indicate the relative rarity of extended households, especially three-generation families. In this descriptive analysis, data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Mature Women are used to compare cross-section and 15-year estimates of the incidence of various types of extended households. Black and white women are analyzed separately and the estimates for the proportion of middle-aged women living in extended households are presented by marital status. Results show large differences between single-year and 15-year estimates of the incidence of extension. Overall, between one-fourth and one-third of white middle-aged women lived in extended households for some time over the 15-year period, and ...

The Incidence of Extended Households Among Middle-Aged Black and White Women Estimates from a 15-Year Panel Study

The concept of filial responsibility refers to adult offsprings' obligations to meet the needs of their aging parents. It emphasizes "duty" and is usually associated with protection, care, and economic support (Schorr, 1960). Specific varieties of filial responsibility include personal contact with parents, financial aid to them, shared living arrangements, and assistance in meeting their daily needs. Recent extensions in life expectancy have produced considerable generational overlap so that today the obligations of filial responsibility have become all the more a reality for greater numbers of families (Nye & Berardo, 1973; Simos, 1970). Blenkner (1965) discussed "filial maturity" as a kind of developmental stage stemming from the resolution of a "filial crisis," which typically occurs in the middle years. Filial maturity is achieved when offspring realize that parents are becoming dependent upon them. Related Literature

Correlates of Aged Parents' Filial Responsibility Expectations and Realizations

Older Families and Their Troubles: Familial and Social Responses

Open societies provide opportunities for persons to create new and innovative family and community alternatives which may lie outside the mainstream. This paper examines the need and the context for alternative living arrangements for older persons, and describes some recent attempts to devise new family arrangements for the elderly. Particular attention is focused upon Share-A-Home in Florida, a "family" of non-related senior adults who share their own household, employ a manager, and share expenses. This pragmatic amalgam group is placed in sociological perspective through the theory of shared functions.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdfplus/583445.pdf

Gordon F. Streib

Papers

Older Families and Their Troubles: Familial and Social Responses

An Alternative Family Form for Older Persons; Need and Social Context.

The Changing Family: Adaptation and Diversity