Proximity to a Child and Contact Frequency With Children in the Context of Relocation: Do Contact Modes Matter?

Relocation, a common life event in later life, may affect the nature of intergenerational contact. This study examined changes in contact frequency with adult children across four contact modes (in-person, telephone, email and social media) following relocation. We leveraged data from the Health and Retirement Study (2014-2018) include 3,015 older adults aged 50 or older who either stayed or relocated in the last 4 years. Using ordinal logistic regression, we found there were differential effects of relocation and proximity on changes in intergenerational contact frequency, depending on contact mode. While in-person and telephone contact modes are sensitive to both relocation and proximity to a child, email and social media contact modes, on the other hand, are not sensitive to relocation and proximity to a child. Our findings suggest that digital communication technologies may help overcome the barrier of physical distance and play a vital role in maintaining intergenerational relationships.