Comment Below
minute read
ADVERTISEMENT
It is estimated that almost seven percent of Americans over the age of 55 are considered "kinless", meaning they have no living spouse or biological children, according to a recent study.
This definition of "kinless" is often used by researchers because spouses and children are the relatives most apt to serve as caregivers, but even using a narrower definition of the term, about one percent have no spouse, children, OR biological siblings.
One percent may not sound like a lot, but it's almost one million Americans with no immediate biological family. That figure rises to 3 percent among women over 75 who have nobody to care for them.
"We assume that everyone has at least some family, but that's not the case anymore," said Rachel Margolis, one of the authors of the study.
This number is set to increase, as later generations have higher divorce rates, or chose to not marry at all, and have higher instances of childlessness. On top of that, advances in medicine are enabling us to live longer than the generation before us, meaning more years without surviving family.
"All the pathways to singlehood have grown," said Dr. Deborah Carr, a sociologist and researcher at Boston University.
While older seniors are increasingly finding alternatives to marriage, such as cohabitation, it is much less likely that they'll receive the same level of care as someone with kin.
Among college-educated seniors, a gender divide appears: college-educated women are more likely to be without family, but the opposite goes for college-educated men, who are more likely to have family to look after them, an indication that more women are unable to fully do both, are choosing a higher education over marriage and children.
In addition, black and poor women are at an even higher risk of being kinless.
The number of aging Americans with no family is predicted to keep increasing, as fewer people are marrying and having children and having fewer children at that.
We have a system of elder caring that has functioned on the "backs of spouses and, secondarily, adult children," sociologist Susan Brown said.
Both Brown and Carr believe that policymakers aren't adapting quickly enough to the new reality, potentially leaving more people increasingly alone.
"How will they navigate health declines?" Brown asks. "We don’t have a good answer. I’m not sure people are paying attention."
This definition of "kinless" is often used by researchers because spouses and children are the relatives most apt to serve as caregivers, but even using a narrower definition of the term, about one percent have no spouse, children, OR biological siblings.
One percent may not sound like a lot, but it's almost one million Americans with no immediate biological family. That figure rises to 3 percent among women over 75 who have nobody to care for them.
"We assume that everyone has at least some family, but that's not the case anymore," said Rachel Margolis, one of the authors of the study.
This number is set to increase, as later generations have higher divorce rates, or chose to not marry at all, and have higher instances of childlessness. On top of that, advances in medicine are enabling us to live longer than the generation before us, meaning more years without surviving family.
"All the pathways to singlehood have grown," said Dr. Deborah Carr, a sociologist and researcher at Boston University.
While older seniors are increasingly finding alternatives to marriage, such as cohabitation, it is much less likely that they'll receive the same level of care as someone with kin.
Among college-educated seniors, a gender divide appears: college-educated women are more likely to be without family, but the opposite goes for college-educated men, who are more likely to have family to look after them, an indication that more women are unable to fully do both, are choosing a higher education over marriage and children.
In addition, black and poor women are at an even higher risk of being kinless.
The number of aging Americans with no family is predicted to keep increasing, as fewer people are marrying and having children and having fewer children at that.
We have a system of elder caring that has functioned on the "backs of spouses and, secondarily, adult children," sociologist Susan Brown said.
Both Brown and Carr believe that policymakers aren't adapting quickly enough to the new reality, potentially leaving more people increasingly alone.
"How will they navigate health declines?" Brown asks. "We don’t have a good answer. I’m not sure people are paying attention."
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Join and support independent free thinkers!
We’re independent and can’t be cancelled. The establishment media is increasingly dedicated to divisive cancel culture, corporate wokeism, and political correctness, all while covering up corruption from the corridors of power. The need for fact-based journalism and thoughtful analysis has never been greater. When you support The Post Millennial, you support freedom of the press at a time when it's under direct attack. Join the ranks of independent, free thinkers by supporting us today for as little as $1.
Remind me next month
To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy
