ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book highlights the complexity and diversity of issues concerning contemporary families and the elderly. It provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of kin relationships and the elderly in America from the nineteenth century to current times. The book suggests that there have been major changes in the attitudes and the ability of families to provide assistance to older relatives. It also provides an insightful discussion of the effects of the “demographic revolution” on the family lives of older Hispanic, white, and African Americans. The book explores the past and future of extended family supports for older African Americans and considers the role of black churches as an alternative form of “family support” for African American elderly. It examines racial and other variables in intergenerational exchanges between the elderly and their adult children.
