The involvement and influence of adult children in their parents’ decision to move to a retirement village

Abstract

Adult children provide various kinds of support to their parents, including involvement in decision-making processes when significant issues arise. The purpose of this research was to investigate the involvement and influence of family members on the decision to relocate to a retirement village by independent older adults. Thirty older adults living in retirement villages in Queensland Australia, were interviewed, as were thirty nominated adult children. The results suggest that whilst adult children play a significant role in the relocation to a retirement village by the older adult, the actual decision to move is made independently by the parent. Independent older adults are predicably seeking to remain independent. Thus the decision to move seems to have been made quite independently. However the results indicate that adult children provide significant instrumental support to the older adult in the investigation process and suggest that adult children are the primary reference for assistance.