This paper examines the family experiences of American elders. As life expectancy has increased, today, focusing on the family life of older Americans is a matter of change, not continuity. Although some of the linkages are obvious, such as the role of women as caregivers and the vulnerability of the elderly, the changes that have taken place are far more important.
The main reason for this is the longer life expectancy, and unlike other stages of life, this phenomenon did not exist for many previous generations; they died very soon, while most Americans today are in their seventies and eighties, with the family complications of the early years as well as issues with their children and grandchildren.
On the other hand, one of the challenges of an aging population structure is how to care for the growing number of older people. This is true when one considers the costs of government programs to support the elderly, such as social security at the macro-level, and interpersonal care at the micro-level. In addition, the elderly population is increasingly diverse not only in terms of race but also in terms of relationship status and family functions. Most of them take care of their grandchildren temporarily, regularly, or permanently; and the growth of migration is enhancing the racial-ethnic diversity of the elderly population.