Expectations of mutual support and care in the light of migration

As first generation immigrants are currently approaching retirement age in many European countries, intergenerational solidarity within the context of acculturation gains high importance. However, most research on intergenerational relations in ageing families so far has not drawn special attention to migrant families.
The aim of the present study was to investigate similarities and differences in the expectations about intergenerational support in a sample of n = 48 Luxembourgish (68.8% female) and n = 36 Portuguese (60.5% female) adult children and at least one of their parents. Luxembourgish adult children were on average M = 25.90 (SD = 5.74) years old, Portuguese M = 27.28 (SD = 6.49). A total of 58.3% of Portuguese adult children were born in Luxembourg; the remainder was born in Portugal but had grown up in Luxembourg. For all participants, both parents were still alive and were living in the Grand-Duchy.
Whereas Luxembourgish and Portuguese adult children did not differ regarding family cohesion and expected support from parents toward children, Portuguese participants reported higher expectations of support from adult children toward their ageing parents. More Portuguese than Luxembourgish parents indicated they would like to live with their children in case of need, whereas more Luxembourgish parents preferred to live in a residential home. Nonetheless, no differences between adult children of both national groups were found regarding filial anxiety about future care of parents.
Results are discussed in the framework of an integrative model on intergenerational family relations in the light of migration and ageing. This model takes several aspects into account that might have an impact on different needs, tasks and resources of the individual and the family depending on different family cultures, the larger cultural context in which family relations are embedded as well as significant events over the life-span (such as migration history).