# The Translation of Intergenerational Care Potential Into Care Receipt of Older Parents: A Prospective Study

## TL;DR

This study explores how the potential for intergenerational care translates into actual care received by older parents over ten years.

## Contribution

The study introduces a new framework for understanding how care potential among adult children influences care receipt by older parents.

## Key findings

- Unpartnered parents are more likely to receive care with more children or children with high care potential.
- Partnered parents need all children to have medium or high care potential to benefit from additional children.
- Proximity and frequent contact alone do not guarantee care receipt for older parents.

## Abstract

This study prospectively examined the extent to which intergenerational care potential translated into parent’s care receipt. Data were from 510 parents (aged 70–97 years at baseline) who reported on their 1496 adult children in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, with seven observations over ten years. Joint care potential considered the number of children and their care potential types. Children with high care potential lived nearby, had frequent contact, and had significant emotional and instrumental support exchanges with their parent. For unpartnered parents, each additional child increased the likelihood of receiving intergenerational care. Having children with high care potential further increased this likelihood. For partnered parents, receiving care was more likely if all children had medium or high care potential; an additional child only contributed under this condition. Policies and practice should not assume that older parents will receive care solely based on having multiple children or a child living nearby.