Centre for Policy on Ageing



Avoided conversations — how parents and children delay talking about widowhood and dependency in later life
Author(s)	Jane Synge
Journal title	Ageing and Society, vol 8, part 3, September 1988
Pages	pp 321 - 335
Keywords	Dying ; Attitude ; Personal relationships ; The Family ; Communication.
Annotation	This study draws on a 1980 sample survey of middle-aged and elderly residents of a medium-sized Canadian city (n=464). Few parents and grown-up children discussed in advance what might happen should parents become seriously ill or unable to look after themselves. However, most respondents did feel these matters should be discussed in advance and that parents should be the ones to raise these issues. A variety of possible contributing explanations are suggested. These range from unwillingness to acknowledge changing family structure and mortality to parents' view on non-family provided services. (KJ).
Accession Number	CPA-890607067 A
Classmark	CX: DP: DS: SJ: U
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.