ABSTRACT
An enduring nostalgia about American families recalls “the extended family of a century ago [which] had aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents, and children all living under one roof.” We are told that these families were more or less self-sufficient, taking care of each other in health and sickness, from birth to death. We also read that long ago families were close to their neighbors and communities, relying on them for assistance and cooperation. People watched out for each other (Landis, 1995, p. 230; Demos, 1975; Ulrich, 1987).
