Intergenerational Support and Family Composition of Elderly Households in Cuba

As a consequence of both political and economic isolation, Western researchers have had only limited opportunities to study demographic trends in Cuba. Even less work has been done on family composition, particularly regarding care giving and other intergenerational exchanges among the elderly households. Using data recently collected as part of the broader PAHO and NIA initiative to examine the lives of the elderly in Latin America, this paper presents the first thorough review of intergenerational support patterns among the elderly in Cuba. Looking at both economic and in-kind exchange patterns this paper presents analysis on how the composition of elderly households impacts giving patterns and levels of support, and how the health of the elderly and their ability to contribute to household economies impacts both the intensity of support they receive and their power or status within the household itself.