Intergenerational Support and Aging: Measuring Kin-Based Dependency in a Changing World

Sha Jiang, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR)
Diego Alburez-Gutierrez, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Pil H. Chung, University of California, Berkeley
Monica Alexander, University of Toronto

To better understand the socioeconomic implications of global aging, we introduce the kin-based dependency ratio, providing fresh insights into informal care from a family-centered viewpoint. Utilizing a time-varying kinship model and data from the World Population Prospect, we analyze eight countries with diverse expectations of kin support and demographic profiles. First, we investigate how core and extended kin determine the supply and demand for intergenerational support within families, highlighting the significance of considering diverse kinship connections. Second, we conclude that the kin-based dependency ratio complements traditional population-level measures by underscoring the pivotal role of intergenerational support in addressing the needs of an aging population. These insights can aid policymakers in developing more effective and culturally tailored strategies for old-age care. Future research aims to comprehensively compare population-level and kin-based dependency ratios across diverse countries and further explore mechanisms driving kin-based ratio trends as well as its policy implications.

Keywords: Population Ageing, Older Adults and Intergenerational Relations, Families, Unions and Households

See extended abstract.