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Israeli adults outdo European peers in taking care of aged parents, particularly the religious
By Ofri Ilani

Adults who grew up in religious families feel a stronger obligation to help their aged parents than those from secular homes, according to a new study.

The research, carried out in Israel and four European countries and published in the Journal of Comparative Family Studies, conducted interviews with 2,327 adults at least 25 years of age who have at least one living parent.
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Prof. Ariela Lowenstein, a University of Haifa gerontologist, together with with Prof. Merril Silverstein and Dr. Daphna Gans of the University of Southern California, conducted the interviews in Norway, Germany, Spain, the U.K. and Israel. Respondents were asked, among other things, whether people should live near their aged parents in order to help them, whether they had helped their parents in the last six months and in what areas, citing housework, shopping, transportation and personal care.

Responses fell into three groups: Forty-six percent of those surveyed believed they should live close to their parents to help them, and did so. Twenty-three percent lived far from their parents, but tried to help them. About one-third did not ascribe to the value of assisting their parents, lived far from them and did not help them.

In Israel and Spain, both considered family-oriented countries, the rate of adult children who helped their parents was the highest.

The researchers also found a correlation between the extent of religious observance of the respondents and the sense of obligation to their parents.

"Among those who said they were not at all religious there was a relatively high rate of those who did not help their parents. On the other hand, among the very religious, the likelihood was high that they helped," Lowenstein said.

The researchers note that the study is based on responses to a questionnaire, and therefore the results must be taken with a grain of salt. However, Lowenstein says: "Apparently religion, or the subjective perception of religiousness, has an impact on the willingness of [adult] children to help their aged parents. A religious population ascribes greater value to helping others, particularly parents, because of the commandment to honor one's father and mother."
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