ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book focuses on the small percentage of women who never get married and compares them to married mothers. It provides a review of the research on family relationships and on social issues related to the later-life family. Using case histories and anecdotes, the book examines a broad range of issues pertinent to families of older persons. It describes alternative housing options for elderly parents and examines psychological, social, and practical aspects of the living arrangements. The book offers a lifespan perspective on changes in different aspects of parent-child relationships, such as distribution of responsibility, mutual assistance, and time perspectives. It provides reviews and original research articles on changes in marital relations over time, widowhood, parent-child relations, caregiving, living arrangements, kinship networks, and childlessness and divorce.
