THE INFLUENCE OF PARENT AND CHILD NEEDS ON CORESIDENCE IN MIDDLE AND LATER LIFE

Although coresidence by parents and adult children is not typical, neither is it uncommon. Coresidence is usually assumed to reflect the assistance needs of either younger adult children or of older parents, but child needs and circumstances may predominate across the life course. Survey data on patterns of coresidence among 811 parents and their 2,358 adult (aged 22 +) children are analyzed, focusing on which children coreside with parents. The roles of parent and child predictors of coresidence are most consistent with a view that child needs and situations are the primary factors in coresidence for parents in both middle and later life.