Families and intergenerational relationships in aging societies: comparingthe United States with German-speaking countries

Industrialized nations have experienced many demographic changes favoring o lder adults during the last few decades of the 20(th) century. This article is a comparative examination of current and future trends in intergenerati onal relationships and aging in two societies: the United States and German -speaking countries. While comparing similarities and significant differenc es between the cultures, we examine five issues related to these trends for families and intergenerational relationships in the 21(st) century: (1) co nsequences of population aging for family structures and relationships - th e emergence of the beanpole family structure and the longer years of linked lives across generations; (2) the debate about the decline of the family; (3) intergenerational solidarity over the life course; (4) intergenerationa l conflict across the life course; (5) prospects for solidarity and conflic t between generations in the 21(st) century. Similarities between cultures include the demographic realities of population aging, the shift from pyram ids to beanpoles, more years of shared lives between and across generations , more nontraditional family forms, and intergenerational conflicts in fami lies. Differences include diverse replacement fertility rates, alternative approaches to governmental supports for families and aging members, and pos sible differences in cultural values regarding individualism.