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Will Reduced Fertility Lead to Greater Isolation in Old Age for Tomorrow's Elderly?*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Nicole Marcil-Gratton  and
Jacques Légaré
Nicole Marcil-Gratton
Affiliation:
Université de Montréal
Jacques Légaré
Affiliation:
Université de Montréal
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Abstract

This paper addresses the question of whether or not today's adults, by dramatically reducing their fertility, are jeopardizing the very source of support they will need in their old age. Part of the answer may be found in examining how present-day elderly with a demographic profile similar to that of a great many future old, cope with the prospect of isolation. Using Canadian data, the authors test the hypothesis that when there are few children to look after their aging parents, a transfer does exist from offspring support to that of collaterals, and that isolation in old age is not necessarily linked to previous fertility.

Résumé

Cet article reprend la question des liens possibles entre la taille de la progéniture et le degré d'isolement des personnes âgées. Les adultes d'aujourd'hui, en adoptant un régime de faible fécondité, ont-ils compromis la source de soutien dont ils auront besoin dans leurs vieux jours? On peut trouver des éléments de réponse en examinant comment celles des personnes âgées d'aujourd'hui dont le profil démographique est semblable à celui de la plupart des personnes âgées de demain, font face à la perspective de l'isolement. À l'aide de données canadiennes, les auteurs vérifient l'hypothèse selon laquelle lorsque les enfants sont peu nombreux pour s'occuper de leurs parents, les personnes âgées trouvent ailleurs les réseaux de soutien dont elles ont besoin. Les auteurs observent un transfert des sources de soutien de la progéniture vers des collatéraux, ce qui tend à démentir le lien entre le degré d'isolement au cours de la vieillesse et le comportement reproductif antérieur.

Keywords

AgingLow FertilitySupport NetworksVieillissementfaible féconditéréseaux de soutien
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 11 , Issue 1 , Spring/printemps 1992 , pp. 54 - 71
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1992

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