Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T07:55:13.241Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Family and State: Recent Trends in the Care of the Aged in Sweden

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2008

Gerdt Sundström
Affiliation:
Researcher, Institutet för gerontologi, Brunnsgatan 30, S–552 55 Jönköping, Sweden.

Abstract

Drawing upon a variety of research data and national statistics, this paper presents a detailed analysis of the contribution made by family and informal care to the support of elderly Scandinavians. Comparative data from other countries are employed to highlight some similarities with other European, American and Far Eastern societies. Formal help is directed at the childless and those who live alone, but the conclusions draw attention to the dangers of this concentration if it excludes essential support to overburdened carers.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1986

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

NOTES

1 Daatland, Svein Olav and Sundström, Gerat, Gammal i Norden (Old Age in the Nordic Countries), Nordic Council of Ministers, Stockholm, 1985.Google Scholar

2 Sundström, Gerdt, ‘Caring for the aged in welfare society’, Stockholm Studies in Social Work, 1, Liber, Stockholm, 1983.Google Scholar

3 Johansen, Hans Christian, De aeldres boligforhold og familie-relationer i det forindustrielle samfund, anförande vid Nordiska kongressen i gerontologi, 1984.Google Scholar

4 Sundström, Gerdt (a), Hur n¨ra? Avstånd och n¨rhet i svenska familjer, HSB:s Riksf¨rbund och Socialh¨gskolan, Stockholm, stencil, 1984.

5 Tornstam, Lars, Kunskaper och okunskaper om äldre, Projektet Äldre i samhället förr, nu och i framtiden, Uppsala, 1983.

6 Sundström, Gerdt, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

7 Sundström, Gerdt (b), 100 years of co-residence between the generations, Rapport till Statens råd for byggnadsforskning, 1984.

8 Litwak, Eugene, Helping the Elderly: The Complementary Roles of Informal Networks and Formal Systems, The Guildford Press, New York, 1985.Google Scholar

9 Hörl, Josef, Alter und Hilfe, Beziehungen alter Menschen zu Familie and Burokratie, Universitat Wien, Soziologie, Diss, 1983.Google Scholar

10 Myrdal, Alva and Myrdal, Gunnar, Kris i befolkningsfragan, Stockholm, 1934.Google Scholar

11 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 b, op. cit.Google Scholar

12 Sundström, Gerdt, De gamla, deras anhöriga och hemtjänsten. En Studie av gränslandet mellan informell och formell omsorg, Rapport i sociali arbete 22, School of Social Work, University of Stockholm, 1984.Google Scholar

13 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 cGoogle Scholar, ibid.

14 Gaunt, Louise, ‘Housing the extended family in Sweden’, in Uhet, W. et al. (ed.). Housing Needs and Policy Approaches; International Perspectives, Durham, N.C., in press, 1985.Google Scholar

15 Sundström, Gerdt, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

16 Xia, Ma, ‘An Analysis on the Size of Family Household and Family Structure in China’, Paper for International Seminar on China's 1982 Population Census, March 26–31, Beijing, China, 1984.Google Scholar

17 Computations on SOU 1940:22.Google Scholar

18 Gaunt, David, ‘Household typology: problems, methods, results, in Chance and Change, Odense University Press, Odense, 1978.Google Scholar

19 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 a, op. cit.Google Scholar

20 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 a, op. cit.Google Scholar

21 Fillenbaum, Gerda G. and Wallman, Laurence M., Change in household composition of the aged: a preliminary investigation, Journal of Gerontology, 39, 3 (1984), 342349.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

22 Beck, Scott H. and Beck, Rubye W., The formation of extended households during middle age, Journal of Marriage and the Family, 46, 2 (05 1984), 277287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

23 Gaunt, David, 1978, op. cit.Google Scholar

24 Samuelsson, Gillis and Sundström, Gerdt, ‘Ending One's Life in a Nursing Home: A Note on Swedish Findings’, International Journal of Aging and Human Development, in press.Google Scholar

25 SOU, 1956, vol. 1, p. 258.Google Scholar

26 Gratton, Brian, ‘Labor markets and old ladies' homes’, in Markson, Elizabeth W., (ed.). Older Women: Issues and Prospects, Lexington Books, Lexington, Mass, 1983.Google Scholar

27 Socialstyrelsen Patienter på bäddavdelningar i ˚ldringsvårdsanstalter och halsovardscentralsjukhus, publikation no. 5, Helsinki, 1983.

28 Smith, Daniel Scott, Modernization and the family structure of the elderly in the United States, Zeitschrift für Gerontologie, 17 (1984), 1317.Google ScholarPubMed

29 Samuelsson, Gillis and Sundström, Gerdt, in press, op. cit.Google Scholar

30 Cavan, Ruth S., Family life and family substitutes in old age, American Sociological Review, 14 (1949), 7183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

31 Townsend, Peter, The Last Refuge, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1962.Google Scholar

32 Townsend, Peter, ‘The effects of family structure on the likelihood of admission to an institution in old age: the application of a general theory, in Shanas, Ethel and Streib, Gordon F. (eds.), Social Structure and the Family, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1965.Google Scholar

33 My own calculations on data provided by the Home Help Division, City of Stockholm, courtesy Ellen Sääf-Bergqvist.

34 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 a, op. cit.Google Scholar

35 Platz, Merete, De aeldres levevilkår 1977, Socialforskninginstituttet, Copenhagen, 1981.Google Scholar

36 Sundström, Gerdt, Gamia som bor tillsammans med sina barn – ett alternativ till samhällsomsorg?, Rapport till Delegationen för social forskning, Socialdepartementet, 1982.Google Scholar

37 Zetterberg, Hans, Maturing of the Swedish welfare state, Public Opinion Quarterly, 1011, 1979.Google Scholar

38 Sundström, Gerdt, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

39 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 a, op. cit.Google Scholar

40 Sundström, Gerdt, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

41 Adolfsson, Rolf et al. , Anhörigas synpunkter på omhändertagandet av aldersdementa (The family's view on the care of the age-demented), Läkartidningen, 77 (1980), Nr 28–29 pp. 25192521.Google Scholar

42 Lange, Ulrich, Der Einfluss der Pflegebed¨rftigkeit chronisch kranker alterer Menschen ¨uf die Familiensituation im Mehrgenerationenhaushalt Eine sozialempirische Studie im Stadtgebiet Köln, Institut f¨r Sozialforschung und Gesellschaftspolitik, Köln, 1973.

43 Sundström, Gerdt, 1982, op. cit.Google Scholar

44 Brody, Elaine M. et al. , What Should Adult Children Do for Elderly Parents? Opinions and Preferences of Three Generations of Women, Journal of Gerontology, 39, 6, 736746.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

45 Nordhus, Inger, Gammel og avhengig?, Psykologiska institutionen, Bergens universitet, manuscript.

46 Haavio-Mannila, Eelina, Caregiving in the welfare state, Acta Sociologica 26 1 (1983), 6182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

47 SCB, Hushållens förmögenheter årsskiftet 1981/82. Förändringar mellan 1978 och 1981, Levnadsförh˚llanden 39, SOS, Liber, Stockholm, 1984.

48 Crystal, Stephen, America's Old Age Crisis, Basic Books, New York, 1982.Google Scholar

49 Schorr, Alvin L., ‘… thy Father & Thy Mother …’ a Second Look at Filial Responsibility and Family Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, 1980.Google Scholar

50 Cheal, David J., Intergenerational Family Transfers, Journal of Marriage and the Family (1983), 805813.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

51 Computations on data collected for the Finnish part of Changes in the Life Patterns of Families in Europe. A detailed description of the study, with crude freqeuncies, is to be found in Elina Haavio-Mannila's report, Monisteita 37 (1983), Department of Sociology, University of Helsinki. Professor Haavio-Mannila was also kind enough to provide for my computations on these data.

52 SOU 1981: 70.

53 Platz, Merete, 1981, op. cit.Google Scholar

54 Sundström, Gerdt, ‘Intergenerational Mobility and the Relationship Between Adults and their Aging Parents in Sweden’, The Gerontologist, 1986, in press.Google Scholar

55 Sundström, Gerdt, 1982, op. cit.Google Scholar

56 Sundström, Gerdt, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

57 Haavio-Mannila, Eelina, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

58 Crystal, Stephen, 1982, op. cit.Google Scholar

59 Sundström, Gerdt, 1982, op. cit.Google Scholar

60 Smith, Daniel Scott, 1984, op. cit.Google Scholar

61 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984, op. cit.Google Scholar

62 Beck, Scott H. and Beck, Rubye W., 1984. op. cit.Google Scholar

63 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 b, op. cit.Google Scholar

64 Brevik, Ivar, Behov for hjelp og stötte i hverdagen, Notat 125, Norsk Institua for By- og Regionforskning, Oslo, 1982.Google Scholar

65 , Otto Christian et al. , Hjemmeboende gamles liv, Statens institutt for folkehelse, Oslo, 1983.Google Scholar

66 Waerness, Kari, Og hva nar vi blir gamie? Om velferdsulikheter mellom menn og kvinner i alderdommen, Arbeidsnotat til RRSP-prosjektet Familien og Sosial-politikken, Dept. of Sociology, University of Bergen, mimeo, 1983.Google Scholar

67 Daatland, Svein Olav and Sundström, Gerdt, 1985, op. cit.Google Scholar

68 Hunt, Audrey, The Elderly at Home, Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, HMSO, London, 1978.Google Scholar

69 Hunt, Audrey, The Home Help Service in England and Wales, HMSO, London, 1970.Google Scholar

70 Branch, Laurence and Stuart, Neil, A five-year history of targeting home care services to prevent institutionalization, The Cerontologist, 34, 4 (1984), 387391.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

71 Sundström, Gerdt, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

72 Hunt, Audrey, 1970, op. cit.Google Scholar

73 Daatland, Svein Olav, Use of public services for the aged and the role of the family, The Gerontologist, 23, 6 (1983), 650656.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

74 Hunt, Audrey, 1970, op. cit.Google Scholar

75 Waerness, Kari, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

76 Daatland, Svein Olaf, 1984, op. cit.Google Scholar

77 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984, op. cit.Google Scholar

78 Sheldon, J. H., The Social Medicine of Old Age, Oxford University Press, London, 1948.Google Scholar

79 Certainly, as Professor Eugene Litwak has pointed out to me, it can be argued that I have selected precisely those tasks that can best be managed by kin when the marital unit can no longer function. Yet, the type of support typically provided by neighbours (when at all) is much less demanding. It could further be maintained that - also mentioned by Professor Litwak - these kinds of tasks-services usually are of importance only for a limited time period (at the end of life). In the long run, support by neighbours and friends may be more important. To assess this important issue, one needs a type of longitudinal study that we today do not have.

80 Sundström, Gerdt, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

81 Stockholmsundersökningen. Also, see Fried, Robert, De äldres levnadsförhållanden i Stockholm, Utrednings- och statistikkontoret, Stockholms kommun, Stockholm, 1979.Google Scholar

82 Waerness, Kari, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

83 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984, op. cit.Google Scholar

84 Hunt, Audrey, 1970, op. cit.Google Scholar

85 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984, op. cit.Google Scholar

86 Nusberg, Charlotte, Gibson, Mary Jo and Peace, Sheila, (eds). Innovative Aging Programs Abroad: Implications for the United Stales. Greenwood Press, Westport, Connecticut.Google Scholar

87 Kahn, Alfred J. and Kamerman, Sheila B., Social Services in International Perspective, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Washington D.C., 1976.Google Scholar

88 Schorr, Alvin L., Explorations in Social Policy, Basic Books, New York, 1968.Google Scholar

89 Schorr, Alvin L., 1980, op. cit.Google Scholar

90 Newman, Sandra J., Government policy and the living arrangements of the elderly, Home Health Care Services Quarterly, 1, 4 (Winter 1980), 5971.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

91 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 c op. cit.Google Scholar

92 Equal Opportunities Commission, Caring for the Elderly and Handicapped: Community Care Policies and Women's Lives, Manchester, 1982.Google Scholar

93 Nissel, Muriel and Bonnerjea, Lucy, Family Care of the Handicapped Elderly: Who Pays?, Policy Studies Institute, London, 1982.Google Scholar

94 Sundström, Gerdt, 1984 a, op. cit.Google Scholar

95 Tinker, Anthea ‘Housing the Elderly Near Relatives: Moving and Other Options’, Department of the Environment, HDD Occasional Paper 1, HMSO, London, 1980.Google Scholar

96 Sundström, Gerdt, 1983, op. cit.Google Scholar

97 Computations on Socialbegivenhedsundersökelsen 1981, Socialforskningsinstituttet, Copenhagen, courtesy Jens-Erik Majlund.

98 Skoglund, Anne-Marie, Det var inte bättre förr! En jämförande Studie av de äldres levnadsförhållanden i Stockholm 1954 och 1976, Rapport i socialt arbete 16, Socialhögskolan i Stockholm, 1984.

99 Horowitz, Amy and Shindelman, Lois W., Social and economic incentives for family caregivers, The Brookdale Center on Aging of Hunter College, New York, mimeo, 1980.Google Scholar

100 Noelker, Linda, ‘Family Care of Elder Relatives: The Impact of Policy and Programs, Paper for the ‘Working Conference on Families’, Excelsior, Minnesota, 09, 1984, pp. 1012.Google Scholar