By Lisa Watts
Interviews with more than 100 Boston-area parent-child pairs point to need for greater support, including mental health consultations
We all love stories about active, high-functioning 90-somethings. But the reality is that the vast majority of our oldest adults face plenty of health challenges and limitations. And their care often falls to their children, who are older adults themselves and facing their own health challenges, financial worries, and more.
University of Massachusetts Boston gerontologist Kathrin Boerner has spent the last four years studying the relationships of older adults and their very old parents. Her “Boston Aging Together Study” included interviews with 114 parent-child pairs in the Boston area in which the parents are 90 or older and their children are 65 or older.
In a new article, published in the March 22 issue of the Journal of Applied Gerontology, Boerner and her co-authors explore the challenges and rewards associated with the relationship between very old parents and adult children, as shared by parent-child pairs. Citing the prevalent challenges experienced by adult children in their study, the researchers recommend stronger services and policies to support families in this increasingly common situation.
To learn more about the study, visit the Gerontology Institute Blog.