The Transfer of Resources from Middle-Aged Children to Functionally Limited Elderly Parents: Providing Time, Giving Money, Sharing Space

This article investigates the interdependence among all three major modes of trasfer (giving time, money, and sharing space), given the parents' specific needs for resources and the children's ability to provide them. While only reported in 17 of the households, the provision of caregiving time is the primary mode of resource transfer from children to their parents. When the other modes of transfers are added, money and space, the percentage of households transfering resources to their parents rose to 29 . It is significant to consider all modes of transfer in order to understand how families accomodate the needs of elderly/disabeled parents. These transfer modes appear to be dependent upon the needs and situations of the parents as well as the types of resources available to the household that is giving.