Beyond Proximity: How Kin Network Structure and Resources Shape Family Relationship Configurations in Later Life
Amy Spring, Elizabeth Ackert, Xiaoqing Li, Jennifer Simon, Kyle Crowder, Nicole Kravitz-WirtzAbstract
Background and Objectives
Family members are a central source of care and support in later life, yet older adults in the United States increasingly live apart from non-resident kin, raising questions about how geographic dispersion shapes relational dynamics.
Research Design and Methods
Using nationally representative data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) and its Disability and Use of Time (DUST) supplement, this study develops a multidimensional typology of family relationship configurations among adults aged 60 and older. Latent class analysis of contact, reciprocal support, and emotional affinity identifies four distinct profiles: harmonious but detached, isolated, strained givers, and tight-knit. We then examine how structural features of non-resident kin networks–including geographic proximity, number and type of nearby relatives, and relatives’ socioeconomic resources–predict membership in these profiles.
Results
Results show that proximity to multiple kin, particularly parents, children, and siblings, strongly shapes the likelihood of belonging to tight-knit or strained families, while greater dispersion contributes to isolation or emotionally positive but low-contact ties. The availability of financially stable kin further differentiates profiles, with higher-income relatives linked to less exchange-based configurations.
Discussion and Implications
By moving beyond simple measures of co-residence or “any nearby kin”, this study demonstrates the diversity of older adults’ family experiences. Our findings highlight that geographic proximity operates within a broader network ecology: the presence of multiple nearby kin, the types of relatives who live close, and the relative economic resources of family members all contribute to whether older adults experience cohesive, strained, or weak family ties.