Patterns of Intergenerational Assistance Within the Mexican American Family

Abstract

A continuing debate exists in the family literature about the needs of the Mexican American elderly, a rapidly growing population. Supporters of one side of the argument indicate that the Mexican American family is available to care for the needs of the aging Mexican American population whereas the other argues that this is simply a romanticized and stereotypical view. Using a large national data set, this article demonstrates, that the Mexican American family is available for affective support of its elders but does not adequately provide for their instrumental needs. Consequently, it is recommended that policymakers and service providers quickly identify the needs of the older Mexican American population in an effort to provide assistance to them as they have done for other older populations in the United States.