Retirement, old-age and family care : a Maltese midlife perspective

Abstract

At a time when demographers and policymakers seem to be concerned with the socioeconomic implications of ageing populations, this study sets out to explore the interplay between ageing and social change. The view adopted by this social investigation is that social policy should be primarily directed by people's needs and care perspectives rather than by demographic trends and projections alone. This study does not look at old people but at those who are presently in their midlife and will thus form a segment of the next generation of older persons. As a result of the post-modern life course, the people in focus are expected to change the nature of growing old. This study therefore sets out to identify the major post-modern trends so as to analyse how these have affected people's attitudes, perceptions and expectations particularly in terms of ageing and old age. Since the family has traditionally always been perceived as the main informal care provider, this study looks also at the transformations that this basic social unit has sustained over the past few decades. This research dimension is undertaken on the premise that changes in family structure and behaviour are likely to reflect themselves on the intergenerational relationships among kin and on their capacity to provide care. In presenting a wider understanding of people's old age needs and wishes as well as insight into children's disposition to care for parents in their later years, this study lends a contribution to social policy by recommending measures that could enhance the effectiveness of welfare provisions through the introduction of strategies that are congruent to the attitudes and perceptions of modern societies.