ABSTRACT
It is, by now, widely understood that the population of the United States is aging. The social implications of this demographic trend are less clear, however. Aging is not simply an individual occurrence; rather, people age within the same family, community, and other personal systems within which they have spent the earlier years of their lives. By definition, a population with a large proportion of elderly also has a large number of middle-aged adults attempting to care for their parents. Additionally, an aging population will contain children who may benefit from the wisdom and caring of grandparents, but who also may compete with the elder generation for their parents’ time and resources. In short, a growing elderly population affects persons of all ages, and it makes necessary a better understanding of family roles and functioning throughout the life cycle.
