Intergenerational Relationships as a Resource for Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The intergenerational ties that offer support to older adults are likely useful for resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analyzed whether positive and negative intergenerational contact was associated with positive pandemic-related personal change. We utilized data collected from 566 adults aged 50 and older between August 2020 and January 2021 via MTurk and a statewide research registry. Participants reported the quality of their contact with younger adults, and whether they experienced positive changes (i.e. new hobbies, healthier behavior, greater meaning in work) as a result of the pandemic. Higher positive, but not lower negative, non-familial intergenerational contact was associated with a higher number of positive pandemic-related changes (estimate = 0.07, SE = 0.03, p=0.02). The quality of familial intergenerational relationships were not associated with positive pandemic-related changes. Non-familial intergenerational relationships may be especially important for resilience, and should be supported during a time when they may be difficult to maintain.

Community Leaders’ Perspective of Strategies to Enhance Social Connectedness in Rural Communities

Age-Friendly communities are charged with fostering a social environment where social connections are available, accessible, and meaningful. Thematic content analysis of 67 interviews (representing 73 communities) conducted between 12/09/2019 and 01/24/2020) and 59 interviews (representing 71 communities) conducted between 12/14/2020 and 1/19/2021 with age-friendly leaders in rural Maine suggested the importance of expanding multi-sectoral collaborations and developing flexible strategies that allow older people to create and maintain social connections, even during COVID. Prior to the pandemic, common strategies were: (1) local partners and volunteers; (2) in-person activities; (3) accessibility; (4) reciprocity; and, (5) neighborhood-specific solutions. During the pandemic, there was an increased reliance on regional partners and funders to develop low or no-tech and tech-enabled social opportunities. Additional adaptive strategies included: (1) intergenerational ties; (2) emphasizing fun; and, (3) flexibility. The study has implications for understanding how rural age-friendly communities develop and grow multi-sectoral collaborations to enhance social connections.

The Value of the Family in the Eyes of Russians: A Sociological Analysis

The depopulation that intensified during the pandemic sharpens attention to the issues of family and demographic policy. The well-being of families and the growth of the expected number of children in these families is becoming a priority. In this regard, it is interesting to assess the determinants of their well-being in the psychological and socio-economic aspects through the eyes of families themselves. The above analysis of the importance of values and key aspects of the life of Russians, the living conditions of Russian families is based on the data of the All-Russian sociological survey "Demographic Wellbeing of Russia" conducted in 2020. The study allowed us to characterize life priorities, existing social and material problems of families in the context of regions, which provides a basis development of measures in the field of supporting families, taking into account territorial characteristics, and definitely speaks of the practical significance of the presented results. Particular attention in the article is paid to the assessment of intergenerational relationships, which significantly supplements the data characterizing the situation of Russian families provided by Rosstat and a number of other sociological surveys. The results of the study showed a significant dependence of family well-being on the preservation of spiritual and moral traditions in family relations, the presence of intergenerational ties, the ability of a generation of parents to provide assistance and support in raising their children to adult children. In this context, it is noted the lack of attention of the state as a leading social actor in society, which is entrusted with the formation and development of the institution of a prosperous Russian family, the formation and strengthening of the family as a fundamental basis of Russian society, the creation of family ideals based on traditional values. and accepting intergenerational hierarchy and solidarity, increasing the authority of parenting in the family and society.

Ageing and Self-Care in India: Examining the Role of the Market in Determining a New Course of Growing Old among Middle Class Older Adults in Urban India

With the decline of the joint family system, middle class older adults in urban India are increasingly relying on the Self-Care approach as later-life care arrangements. In particular, these older adults are relying on the market for their everyday physical and emotional care needs. Applying the North American Successful Ageing model and the political economy and consumer culture of ageing framework, the present study highlights how the market is creating a new imagination of growing old in urban India. Additionally, through qualitative interviews, the study demonstrates how perceptions regarding the ageing body among middle class older adults in urban India are gradually transforming. Finally, the study indicates how with changing filial and intergenerational ties, familial care is being replaced by the market.

Architectural typology of intergenerational shared sites

In the conditions of the modern world, there is an increasing socio-cultural gap between generations. To create sustainable development and functioning of society, to maintain its stability in the present and future, it is necessary to create conditions for strengthening intergenerational relations. All social programs must be accompanied by architectural programs, so there is a need for the architectural and urban planning transformation of the existing urban space in favor of the development of intergenerational ties. The purpose of this study is to determine the typological features of intergenerational centers based on a comparative analysis of existing facilities. Several different intergenerational shared sites examples around the world were analyzed. The analysis revealed a general typology of intergenerational environments: outdoor spaces for short-term intergenerational communication; indoor and outdoor spaces for intergenerational communication at centers; specialized housing estates and co-living buildings with public indoor and outdoor zones for intergenerational communication. The results of this work are the basis for further research, the purpose of which is to form the principles of an environment that promotes the development of intergenerational relations in Russian conditions and their approbation in the design of a residential area in Yakutsk.

Social reproduction of generations in the face of digital challenges

The article describes the global processes that are transforming the world (migration and integration processes, inclusive education, digitalization of education, socio-psychological gap between generations, etc.). Global tendencies have changed the social space of people's life - “cultural gaps”, “social bottom”, “spiritual crisis of parent-child relations and intergenerational ties”, etc. have appeared, as modern challenges of society, affecting the social reproduction of generations. The problem of social reproduction, the significance of which is associated with the need for the development of sociality, the construction of the social world in the event chronotope, has been actualized; preservation of the social and historical memory of the people, the self-identity of the national community, the “core” of the spiritual image of the nation, etc. A powerful challenge in modern society is digitalization, which has changed the forms of communication and social roles, created a new virtual space for self-presentation, self-expression, while the risk is the loss of cultural identity, blurring the lines between generations, etc. The article presents the mechanisms of integration of traditional and digital technologies of social reproduction of generations, the difference of which lies in the actualization of children's interest in the historical and cultural values of the people, in the organization of joint activities to create virtual historical museums, etc. Social reproduction of generations is a complex and long-term process, the success of which depends on the unity of activities in the professional, parenting and children's community.

Modernization of traditional Yakut families in the social project «Sis Yal» («Model family»)

В данной статье представлены результаты социологического исследования сельских якутских семей. Актуальность статьи обусловлена растущим кризисом семьи, репродуктивного поведения, трансформацией гендерных аспектов современных форм семьи и их последствиях, что свидетельствует о культурном повороте целостного жизненного мира от ценностей совместимости, взаимопомощи в сторону индивидуализма, ослабления межличностных и межпоколенных взаимодействий, влияющих на социальное благополучие всех поколений. Авторами статьи выявлены современный уклад жизни, хозяйственной деятельности, размеры семьи, проживающей в их традиционном месте поселения, межпоколенческие связи. Предпринята классификация типов современных якутских семей, проживающих в сельской местности, по критериям пространственной локализации, уклада семьи, экономического состояния, социального статуса, ведущих нравственных ценностей, состава семьи. Выявлено 85 типов семей, сгруппированных по 6 критериям, характеризующим ведущие основы якутского этнического семьеведения. Исследование актуально тем, что на основе выявленной экосистемы семьи разработан социальный проект конструирования позитивных семейных ценностей в сельском социуме. This article presents the results of a sociological study of rural Yakut families. The relevance of the article is due to the growing crisis of the family, reproductive behavior, the transformation of gender aspects of modern family forms and their consequences, which indicates a cultural turn of the integral life world from the values of compatibility, mutual assistance towards individualism, and the weakening of interpersonal and intergenerational interactions that affect the social well-being of all generations. The authors of the article revealed the modern way of life, economic activity, family size, living in their traditional place of settlement, intergenerational ties. The classification of types of modern Yakut families living in rural areas according to the criteria of spatial localization, family structure, economic status, social status, leading moral values, and family composition is undertaken. 85 types of families were identified, grouped according to 6 criteria that characterize the leading foundations of Yakut ethnic family studies. The study is relevant because on the basis of the identified family ecosystem, a social project for constructing positive family values in rural society has been developed.

The Complexity of Generational Status and Ethnic Identity of Japanese Americans

Japanese Americans comprise multiple generations, with a first wave of immigrants entering the United States in the 1800s. The current generation of Japanese American descendants today includes over five generations. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the ethnic identity of fourth- and fifth-generation Japanese American adults. Forty participants were interviewed as part of a larger study and deemed exempt by institutional review board. Results indicate that ethnic identity for multigenerational Japanese American adults is complex, with factors that include the impact of historical and intergenerational ties to World War II, continuance of family and cultural traditions, and identity as American but perceived as “forever foreigner.” Family counselor recommendations include considering historical background of Asian American and minority groups, rethinking educational curriculum through transformative social and emotional learning.

There at Any Distance? Geographic Proximity and the Presence of Adult Children in Older People’s’ Confidant Networks

Adult children are key members of their aging parents’ close social network, often providing emotional and advisory supports. Still, adult children are not a guaranteed presence in older people’s core discussion networks. Geographical distance is a leading explanation for why some children are excluded from the confidant network, but we hypothesize that certain parent- and dyadic-level factors make these intergenerational ties more resilient to distance. Using wave six of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, we identified whether a living adult child was also a member of the parent’s egocentric confidant network. We modeled the effect of the child (Level 1) and parent (Level 2) characteristics on the exclusion of a child from the core network using hierarchical logit models. We found that fifty-eight percent of children were excluded from a parent’s network. Parents were more likely to exclude those who lived more than 25 km compared to children who lived within 5 km. The impact of distance was exacerbated among parents who were older, partnered, or had four or more children. Parents with higher education and good computer skills were less sensitive to longer distances when listing a child as a confidant. Finally, parents who had confidants outside of the nuclear family and who lived in Northern Europe were less likely to exclude a child over 100 km from their confidant network. Together, results indicate that a number of demographic factors and personal and social resources contribute to the elasticity of parent-child ties across long distances.