Ruth Katz - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ruth Katz

Journal of Comparative Family Studies, Jul 1, 2013

Given current fertility trends of delayed age at first birth, along with increased life expectanc... more Given current fertility trends of delayed age at first birth, along with increased life expectancy, more families will likely face parental care decisions while still handling childcare responsibilities. This paper explores whether families who are facing multiple demands for care of both offspring and parents are substituting one type of care for another. More specifically, it asks whether individuals who are engaged in childcare duties to young children are likely to provide lower levels of support to their parents when compared to individuals with older children. Regression models were estimated employing data from Old Age and Autonomy: The Role of Service Systems and Intergenerational Family Solidarity (OASIS), a nationally representative sample of urban population in four European countries (Norway, England, Spain, Germany) and Israel. Taking advantage of a unique dataset, we were able to address the potential trade-off between the younger and the older generations within the family by considering individual, familial and societal factors. Our results demonstrate that adult children are responsive to parental needs and are likely to allocate resources to them when help is needed. However, the existence of a young child aged three-years-old or younger was significantly associated with a lower level of parental support. This finding suggests that intensive childcare duties may indeed hinder adult children’s ability to provide parental care. Some country differences were noted with lowest levels of parental support in Norway. Policy makers should consider the development of intergenerational family policies to support families facing multigenerational demands for care.

Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Oct 1, 2012

The global phenomenon of population aging (Bengtson & Lowenstein, 2003; Lowenstein & Katz... more The global phenomenon of population aging (Bengtson & Lowenstein, 2003; Lowenstein & Katz, 2010) raises a challenge to intergenerational relationships and addresses the social issues of intergenerational exchange and reciprocity. The exchange theory perspective contains an important implication for understanding intergenerational relationships as related to the psychological well-being of different generations and older people (e.g., Silverstein, Conroy, Wang, Giarrusso, & Bengtson, 2002). Consistent with Lowenstein (2007), intergenerational relations with kin and nonkin reflect a diversity of forms related to individual, familial, and social structural characteristics. These serve as markers for differences in socialization, roles, culture, values, and access to resources. Reciprocity should be perceived as an age-dependent variable, and the needs of the participating parties in the exchange process should be taken into consideration. The set of papers in this issue of the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships (JIR) seeks to address these core issues of exchange between nonkin and kin, grandparents and grandchildren, from research and practice perspectives. The timing of this issue is related both to the declaration of the European Union of the year 2012 as a year of “Active Aging and Intergenerational Solidarity” as well as to the Madrid International Plan on Aging (2002), which noted “the need to strengthen solidarity between generations and intergenerational partnerships, keeping in mind the particular needs of both older and younger ones, and encourage mutually responsive relationships between generations” (United Nations Organization, 2002, p. 4). The five scholarly papers in this issue and the “From the Field” reports foster a dialogue between different countries and cultures: U.S., Scotland (UK), Cambodia, and Japan. The papers are based on different theoretical

SAGE Publications, Inc. eBooks, Apr 30, 2012

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, Dec 1, 1998

Marriage and Family Review, Oct 16, 2000

Retraite et société, Mar 1, 2003

Le modele de la solidarite familiale intergenerationnelle a ete developpe par Bengtson et al. sur... more Le modele de la solidarite familiale intergenerationnelle a ete developpe par Bengtson et al. sur la base des theories classiques de l’organisation sociale, de la theorie des echanges, de la dynamique de groupe et de la theorie du developpement de la famille (developmental family theory). Selon ce modele, la solidarite familiale intergenerationnelle comprend six dimensions : structurelle, fonctionnelle, affective, consensuelle, associative et normative. Notre analyse tente d’elargir les connaissances actuelles par une comparaison. Nous examinons ainsi les similarites et les differences entre les cinq pays participant au projet Oasis et nous etudions les liens entre les variables demographiques, familiales et sanitaires et les differentes dimensions de la solidarite envers les populations âgees. Les resultats font partie du projet comparatif transnational Oasis, dans le cadre duquel un echantillon aleatoire de 6 000 personnes (de 25 ans et plus), dans cinq pays (Angleterre, Israel, Espagne, Norvege et Allemagne, 1200 personnes par pays), ont ete interrogees a l’aide d’un instrument d’enquete standardise. Dans la presente contribution, l’analyse se fonde sur les donnees relatives aux 75 ans et plus. Des analyses descriptives comparatives et des modeles a variables multiples sont presentes. Les donnees font apparaitre des similarites et des differences entre les pays pour les diverses dimensions de la solidarite. Ces similarites et differences peuvent refleter des variations dans les normes familiales, les schemas de comportement et les traditions de politique sociale. Par ailleurs, des differences ont ete observees concernant les associations entre les facteurs demographiques et sanitaires et les dimensions de la solidarite dans chaque pays ce qui laisse a penser qu’il existe des idiosyncrasies nationales et culturelles qu’il convient d’etudier plus en detail.

Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, Jan 2, 2015

Family Relations, 1999

... Adult Children Residing in Shared Households: An Intergenerational Comparison* ... The sample... more ... Adult Children Residing in Shared Households: An Intergenerational Comparison* ... The sample included 200 respondents from 100 families who arrived in Israel between 1989 and 1995.Intergenerational solidarity served as a conceptual framework. ...

Families in society-The journal of contemporary social services, Feb 1, 2002

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Mar 17, 2022

Studia Psychologica, 2015

Social Science Research Network, Jun 1, 2016

This paper focused on estimating the participation rate of care giving to elders. We used a theor... more This paper focused on estimating the participation rate of care giving to elders. We used a theoretical model frame that was in common use for analyzing activity in the labor market and adjusted it for analyzing the caregiving rate in elders. Using data of the rate of start taking care and the rate of end taking care in elders from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe we evaluated the rate of "caregivers" in whole population at age over 50 and among males, females, people in labor force and out of labor force. According to our results, the lowest care rate is among men 16.8%, and the highest is among females 18.88%, while for whole population at age over 50, the care rate is 18.2%. According to our findings, there is a very high end of care rate from treatment in all population groups, pointing to the existence of a very large substitution among caregivers, mainly among people not in labor force (76.2%).

Innovation in Aging, Jun 30, 2017

Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research, Oct 20, 2014

Abstract Purpose To describe, analyze, and compare two long-term care (LTC) systems for elders in... more Abstract Purpose To describe, analyze, and compare two long-term care (LTC) systems for elders in Germany and Israel. Methodology Secondary analyses of data on LTC beneficiaries, structure of service provision and content analyses of policy documents in a comparative perspective based on the Esping-Andersen welfare state typologies. Findings Descriptive background of demographic attributes in the two countries; discussion of LTC development laws which in Israel focuses on “aging in place” concept, where in-kind services are geared only to community-dwelling frail elders while in Germany it’s for community and institutionalized elders. Analyses of various service types provided their use, resources invested, and benefits incurred for frail elders and their family caregivers. Practical and social implications The advantages and shortcomings of the two systems were analyzed with recommendations for future developments. Such comparisons across nations can inform social policy debates in Germany and Israel as to how to prepare for population aging. The originality of such comparison can shed light on issues for LTC service development in other countries.

Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, Apr 2, 2013

Bristol University Press eBooks, Aug 30, 2018

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Older adults face particular risks of exclusion from social relationships (ESR) and are especiall... more Older adults face particular risks of exclusion from social relationships (ESR) and are especially vulnerable to its consequences. However, research so far has been limited to specific dimensions, countries, and time points. In this paper, we examine the prevalence and micro- and macro-level predictors of ESR among older adults (60+) using two waves of data obtained four years apart across 14 European countries in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). We consider four ESR indicators (household composition, social networks, social opportunities, and loneliness) and link them to micro-level (age, gender, socioeconomic factors, health, and family responsibilities) and national macro-level factors (social expenditures, unmet health needs, individualism, social trust, and institutional trust). Findings reveal a northwest to southeast gradient, with the lowest rates of ESR in the stronger welfare states of Northwest Europe. The high rates of ESR in the southeast a...

Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging, 2021

Gender a výzkum / Gender and Research, 2021

Being socially connected is a universal human need, but a substantial number of older men and wom... more Being socially connected is a universal human need, but a substantial number of older men and women are or become excluded from these connections in later life. Exclusion from social relations (ESR) is unwanted as it undermines people's ability to lead a healthy, active, and independent life. Policies to reduce this form of exclusion have been limited in effectiveness, due in part to a broader lack of knowledge about the dynamics of social exclusion in older ages and the intersection of social exclusion with gender constructions. To advance our understanding of ESR in later life, we develop a heuristic model based on theories and previous empirical studies. Considering the gendered constructing forces of ESR in older age that can potentially lead to loneliness and reduced health and wellbeing, the model identifies individual drivers, such as biopsychosocial conditions, personal standards and life-course transitions, and macro-level drivers, such as norms and welfare state provisions. This model can serve as a conceptual platform for further theoretical development and empirical study on the gendered construction of ESR in later life. While our focus is on drivers of ESR and its outcomes, potential reversed effects are also discussed.