No. 6 – How do generations support each other in an ageing society?

The Generations and Gender Programme tries to live up to its name. One of the key areas of research in the GGP community is intergenerational relationships. This area of research examines how people from different generations support and rely on each other. This could be a grandparent taking care of a grandchild, a daughter taking care of her elderly mother or parents helping their children pay for university or buy a house of their own. These intergenerational relationships have always been important in society with families pooling resources and sharing responsibilities. However studying these relationships is more important than ever given the changing balance between generations. With people living longer, lower fertility and shifts in the timing of many key life events, it is crucial that social scientists seek to understand the interconnected nature of intergenerational relations. In this Research Note, we examine some of the key dynamics in intergenerational relationships, draw attention to research conducted using GGP data and how this research informs our understanding of the changing relations between generations.