Patterns of Informal Support for Elderly Parentsfrom Adult Children

Multilevel Modeling forPrediction by Kinship, Tasks, and Public Services

Abstract

　This study investigates the determinants of intergenerational practical

support in the Japanese context and focuses on the following sub-questions:

“Who is responsible for familial care for elderly parents?” and “How

do private care patterns relate to public care services?” Moreover, the

study distinguishes practical support into physical care and housekeeping

help. Data were derived from the Japanese Aging and Health Dynamics

Study. Dyadic data composed of two levels were generated. The first-level

variables include respondent's information, whereas second-level variables

pertain to information about a respondent's children and child's spouse. A

multilevel multinomial logistic regression model, which predicts intergenerational

help from adult children to elderly parents, was estimated. The

outcome consists of three categories of caregiving status, namely, “No

care,” “Giving physical care,” and “Giving only practical housekeeping

help.” “No care” is used as the reference category. The study observed the

following points. First, daughters are the most frequent caregivers in a

child generation. Second, compared with fathers, mothers receive more

frequent housekeeping help, but less regular physical care from children.

Third, according to tasks, Japanese public in-home services promote daily

physical caregiving by a child generation. Conversely, utilizing public care

services did not significantly influence practical housekeeping help by a

child generation.