Familien in späten Lebensphasen : zerrissene Familienbande durch räumliche Trennung?

Abstract

In contemporary society, intergenerational co-residence has become a transitory phase of the life course, and family life among adults primarily takes place among persons living in separate households. This development has led to the dominance of the concept of the "multilocal family". The spatial organization of the intergenerational family is determined by the mobility of family members, which can result from life-course events, as well factors such as education and the nature of the labor market. In the present article, we use data on the former West Germany from the German Socio-Economic Panel to examine the geographical structure of the family in later life, and specifically after adult children have left the parental household. The data demonstrate a strong general tendency for parents and adult children to live near one another, although geographical proximity varies according to educational level, occupational prestige, and the age and marital status of the parents. Evidence is found for intergenerational solidarity, in that geographical distance between parents and adult children declines as parents become older,or by occuring critical life events.