Changes in Americans' Views on Who Should Provide and Pay for Assistance to Older Adults with Activity Limitations...

An aging U.S. population means more older adults in need of care over time. Although government programs that supply financial support for older adults receive high levels of backing, social norms dictate that when it comes to care - families should be held responsible. Although families do provide most of the care that older adults receive, it can often be in balance with more formal provisions like paid care. However, there is a divide between what older people themselves feel is best compared to other groups. We ask: what are American attitudes toward the provision of eldercare and payment for such care, how have these attitudes changed in the last decade, and are there differences by age? We use cross-sectional data from the 2012 and 2022 General Social Survey (GSS) and find that younger adults were more likely to support government provision and payment for eldercare over time.