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Sole Family Survivors: Older Adults Lacking Family of Origin Kin

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  • Susan L Brown
  • Kagan A Mellencamp
  • I-Fen Lin

Abstract

ObjectivesWe introduced a unique form of kinlessness: sole family survivorship, which describes the lack of family of origin (i.e., biological parents and siblings) kin. This form of kinlessness may be particularly consequential for older adults who experience other forms of kinlessness (e.g., no spouse/partner or no children) as they are especially likely to have relied on their family of origin for support.MethodsData from the 1998–2014 Health and Retirement Study (N = 148,346 person-waves) were used to estimate the prevalence of sole family survivorship among adults aged 55 and older and men and women aged 55–74 and 75+. Variation in prevalence levels of sole family survivorship across sociodemographic characteristics, health indicators, and family factors were also estimated. Finally, we tracked cohort trends in sole family survivorship.ResultsMore than 1 in 10 adults aged 55+ were sole family survivors and this figure rose to more than 1 in 4 among those aged 75+. Adults with no spouse/partner and no children were especially likely to be sole family survivors, meaning they face a double burden of kinlessness.DiscussionSole family survivorship represents the culmination of loss of multiple, lifelong kin ties. It is more common among those lacking other close kin, signaling the presence of a uniquely vulnerable group of older adults who experience multiple forms of kinlessness. Future research should address how older adults and society at large adapt to kinlessness to ensure successful aging.

Suggested Citation

  • Susan L Brown & Kagan A Mellencamp & I-Fen Lin, 2022. "Sole Family Survivors: Older Adults Lacking Family of Origin Kin," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 77(5), pages 930-935.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:geronb:v:77:y:2022:i:5:p:930-935.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/geronb/gbab239
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Judith A. Seltzer, 2019. "Family Change and Changing Family Demography," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 56(2), pages 405-426, April.
    2. Liliana E. Pezzin & Robert A. Pollak & Barbara Steinberg Schone, 2008. "Parental Marital Disruption, Family Type, and Transfers to Disabled Elderly Parents," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 63(6), pages 349-358.
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    1. Marta Pittavino & Bruno Arpino & Elena Pirani, 2024. "Kinlessness at older ages: Prevalence and heterogeneity in 27 countries," Econometrics Working Papers Archive 2024_02, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti".

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