The History and Benefits of Multigenerational Living

A nuclear family consists of parents and children, living in the same household. An extended family extends beyond a nuclear family, to include grandparents, aunts, etc. Multigenerational households include either two or more adult generations, or a grandparent and grandchild.

The History of Multigenerational Living

Data/Image Credits: Pew Research Center

Multigenerational family structures were prevalent in many pre-industrial, agrarian societies. Extended families allowed for a larger workforce, specifically advantageous in agricultural societies. Within many Asian cultures, respect for family became core. Underneath religions like Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism, filial piety was the idea of respect and care for parents and elderly family members. However, as societies scaled and became more complex, extended families hindered mobility, and thus, the practice declined in frequency.

This downwards trend was furthered during the industrial revolution. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, societies shifted from an agrarian economy to a manufacturing economy. Farmers moved to cities to become urban wage laborers, replacing extended family structures with nuclear families. Subsequently, American society grew more diverse than ever before. The rising demand of labor from the industrial revolution encouraged immigration from Europe and Asia. And coupled with the Atlantic slave trade, millions migrated to the U.S. between 1750-1914. Work during the industrial revolution were often blue-collar jobs. As a result, immigrants were specifically young men leaving the rest of their family in order to make money. These migrants were often alone.

World War II further decreased intergenerational culture in households. Firstly, Post-war reconstruction efforts decreased unemployment rates and boosted the economy. This allowed nuclear families to be able to survive on a sole income, dropping any incentive for an extended family structure throughout the middle class. Secondly, as opposed to migrants from the industrial revolution, modern migrants are inclined to live in multi-generational households. Thus, as immigration rates dropped throughout post-war reconstruction, nuclear families increased. Thirdly, many medical advancements after World War II led elderly health to increase, allowing for more independence. These changes led multigenerational living to bottom in 1980 with only 12% of the population in a multigenerational family structure.

However, recently, multigenerational living has seen a comeback. In 2021, 18% of the U.S population lived in a multigenerational household. This rise has been linked with changes in the U.S population makeup. An analysis from the Pew Research Center during 2021 reveals Black (26%), Hispanic (26%), and Asian Americans (24%) are more likely to live in a multigenerational home. Furthermore, 31% of young adults ages 25-29 live in multigenerational homes. Lastly, native-born people are more likely to live in a multigenerational house. 26% of foreign-born people in the U.S live in a multigenerational household, while only 17% of Native-born people in the U.S live in a multigenerational household. With the rise of these certain demographics, multigenerational living continues to grow.

Intergenerational Day Centers

Image Credits: Gentog

An alternative to the extended family structure are Intergenerational Day Centers (IDC’s). IDC’s are care facilities that bring together two typical demographics: children and seniors. In such facilities, the children and seniors interact through planned and informal activities. These intergenerational interactions bring a number of benefits and challenges.

Firstly, intergenerational interactions provide opportunities for seniors to share experiences and expertise with children, allowing for older adults to be unique childcare providers. Intergenerational interactions offer a source of education for children, as well as bringing familial aspects to programs. Secondly, Intergenerational Day Centers provide opportunities for mutual prosocial interaction. A Shared Site Intergenerational Program (SSIP) case study demonstrated the benefits of “appreciation for diversity, formation of close intergenerational relationships, and enhanced client self-esteem.” However the same study furthers that many SSIPs prove unsustainable, leading to “developmental differences and need for greater communication with families.” A third benefit is cheaper costs. Combining spaces and services would lower costs to the program and families. The larger demographic supports program budgets through a wider scope of fundraising. The shared resources increase cost effectiveness during staff recruitment and training. A preliminary study conducted in 2008 revealed that personnel costs were significantly lower in intergenerational shared site care facilities, especially significant as personnel costs make up more than 30 percent of the programs budget.

In light of all these benefits, intergenerational daycares continue to increase. A study coordinated by Generations United and The Ohio State University “established a new baseline of 105 shared site programs in the United States.” However, “shared site programs” include examples broader than intergenerational daycares. Generations United provided that “common shared site models,” include senior centers located in a school, community centers with programs for multiple generations, as well as many formal and temporary intergenerational care programs. For example, a Head Start program in a nursing home, after-school programs at a senior center, or child care in a long-term care facility.

Nonetheless, IDCs are a newly emerging innovation, which daycare centers are seeking to incorporate intergenerational interactions in their programs. A study analyzing the process of developing an IDC in Austin provides that there are still many uncertainties and little information on the development of IDCs. The study highlights the importance of involving community members, stakeholders, and the design team, as well as programming plans as early as possible.