An Investigation into Interchange between Elderly Women and their Separated Adult Children in Melbourne:

A Case Study of Women who Gave Birth to and Raised Children during the Long Boom

Abstract

    This paper is designed to empirically investigate interchange between elderly women and their separated adult children. To gather empirical evidence, a sample survey of elderly women was conducted in a local government area of Melbourne in 2005-06. The analysis revealed the following three points; ①The closer to his or her mother a child lived, the more frequently the mother could obtain instrumental and emotional support from her child and socialised with her child. ②Elderly woman used their sons or daughters differently for gaining social support and association, depending on the characteristics of social support and association. ③Whether elderly women come from Australia or not, the years of elderly womenʼs residence at the present address, the presence or absence of elderly womenʼs husband and children living together, elderly womenʼs divorce or separation, the number of elderly womenʼs children and whether elderly women drive a car or not affected the availability of social support from their children and association between elderly women and their children as well.