The baby-boomer generation and family support -

a European perspective

Jim OGG, Young Foundation, London and Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Vieillesse, Paris

33rd Global conference of ICSW, Tours, France, 2 July 2008

Research questions

• Do patterns of time transfers by baby-boomers to their elderly parents reflect the culture, demography and political history of individual European nations?

• What is the profile of baby-boomers who help their parents?

Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe - 2004

Households with members 50+

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

4,0

4,5

1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Danemark

Suède

Angleterre

France

Pays-Bas

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

4,0

4,5

1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Allemagne

Autriche

Suisse

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

4,0

4,5

1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

Espagne

Grèce

Italie

Completed Fertility Rates for SHARE countries Mean number of children born to women of a given generation

0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1

1,2

1,4

1,6

SW DK NT DE SW AT FR IT ES GR

Parents Ascendants

Mean number of parents and ascendants alive for birth cohort 1945-1954

Sweden Denmark Netherlands Germany Switzerland Austria France Italy Spain Greece

Birth cohort 1945-1954

Help given to parents and parents-in-law (outside household)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

%

SE DK NL DE CH A F I SP GR

chores help with paperwork personal care

Sweden Denmark Netherlands Germany Switzerland Austria France Italy Spain Greece

Birth cohort 1945-1954

Help given to parents and parents-in-law (outside household)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

%

SE DK NL DE CH A F I SP GR

Help almost daily

Sweden Denmark Netherlands Germany Switzerland Austria France Italy Spain Greece

Birth cohort 1945-1954

0

5

10

15

20

25

SW DK NL DE CH AT FR IT SP GR

Proportion of baby boomers (among those with a parent alive)who live in the same house or building

Help given to parents (in-laws) or living in the same household/building

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

%

SE DK NL DE CH A F I SP GR

Help help or living in the same household or building

Sweden Denmark Netherlands Germany Switzerland Austria France Italy Spain Greece

Birth cohort 1945-1954

Help/no help between parents and children (inside/outside the household)

-5

5

15

25

35

45

55

%

SE DK NL DE CH A F I SP GR

Baby-boomers: help given to parents (in_laws)Elderly parents : help received from a child (in-law)

Sweden Denmark Netherlands Germany Switzerland Austria France Italy Spain Greece

Birth cohort 1945-1954

Help almost daily between parents and children (inside/outside the household)

-5

5

15

25

35

45

55

65

75

%

SE DK NL DE CH A F I SP GR

Baby-boomers: help given to parents (in_laws)Elderly parents : help received from a child (in-law)

Sweden Denmark Netherlands Germany Switzerland Austria France Italy Spain Greece

Birth cohort 1945-1954

Gives help(base=all)

Gives help almost daily (base=gives help)

Women ++ ++

Has children but no g/child

+ ns

Working ns -

Live near +++ +++

Good finances + ns

Socially active + ns

Poor parent’s health ++ +

Country effect (ref=sweden)

--- +++

Summary of significant regression coefficients (baby-boomers giving help to parents

Summary

• European baby boomers help their elderly parents in different ways

• Notions of help differ – response effect?

• No evidence of substantial weakening of intergenerational relations among baby boomers in northern and continental Europe