Older Adults' Preferences for Future Care: Formal Plans and Familial Support

A total of 45 adults, ranging in age from 56 to 88, were asked whom they expected to provide care for them if they became frail. Past experiences, family structure, and current relationships with children and grandchildren influenced their perceptions of how they would manage in the future. For some individuals, evidence of family conflict was linked with plans not to rely on family members. Others with formal plans, and those who identified family members as being responsible for their future care, did so regardless of the nature of their relationships. The findings point to a potential transformation in family caregiving and challenge the notion that families are always the preferred provider of care in the later years.