Family ties and functional limitation in the elderly: Results from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

Abstract

Objectives: To examine if family ties are strong predictors of functional limitation in older adults in Europe.

Methods: Cross sectional data were used and included 14 European countries from the second wave (w2) of the survey on Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe. 13,974 adults aged 50+ (45.2% males and 54.8%females) were included in the study. Functional limitation was assessed using activities of daily living (ADL), instrumental activities of daily living (i-ADL) and mobility sensory index. Family ties were based on a customized model of family structural aspects. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the risk of functional limitations.

Results: Functional limitation was associated with females, age, self-rated health, and an increased number of chronic conditions, disease symptoms and depressive symptoms but not with few family ties. After controlling for potential confounders, respondents with lower family contacts showed higher risk for functional limitation. Southern and Mediterranean countries have both closer family ties and adults with higher functional limitation.

Conclusion: Functional limitation is associated with biological and demographic factors as well as little contact with family members. Further longitudinal research is required in order to determine the association and the causal relationship between functional limitation and family ties.

Keywords: Family support; Functional status; Third age.