Family Occupations in Later Life

Literature on famiiy interactions of older adults suggests that famiiies vary widely, and that many families have reciprocai sodal, emotional, and instrumental exchanges. Research disproportionately emphasizes elders as redpients of care, and lacks darity abont the precise occupations in which elders and families engage together. This stndy reports on interviews with 26 well, commnnity-residing older adults to determine how they delineated occupations in which they engaged with their families, and their evaluations of family interactions. Family membership as described by participants differed greatly. Family occupations involved giving care, getting care, and enjoying pastimes. The majority of participants reported at least two of these occupations, reflecting reciprocai relationships with spouses, adult children, and grandchildren. No participant was entirely dependent on other family members. Based on Connidis' (2001) categorization of family dynamics, elders assessed family occupations in terms of solidarity or ambiguity; none perceived family solely in terms of problems.