The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Intergenerational Solidarity in Turkey

Social distancing and social isolation practices emerged with the first COVID-19 case in Turkey. These practices have negatively affected the intergenerational solidarity between elderly parents and their adult children. The aim of the project is to reveal how the COVID-19 epidemic affects intergenerational solidarity, to identify areas where functionality has decreased with the changing structure and to offer social policy recommendations at both micro and macro levels. The pandemic has negatively affected all dimensions of intergenerational solidarity. After the pandemic, the frequency of face-to-face meetings of elderly parents and their adult children decreased, and the frequency of telephone and video conversations increased. There has been a decrease in the financial assistance provided by older parents to their adult children and by adult children to their elderly parents. There has also been a decrease in the frequency of adult children helping their elderly parents in daily practical matters such as cleaning, cooking, shopping, and the frequency of long-term care given to elderly parents. There is also a decrease in the frequency of elderly parents looking after their grandchildren. It has been observed that the financial, practical and care benefits expected from the state increase in times of crisis such as pandemics. In addition to the deteriorating mental and physical health status with the pandemic, employment losses are among the most important factors that negatively affect intergenerational solidarity during the pandemic period. Research findings indicate that the changing family structure with the pandemic reduces the functions of intergenerational solidarity. At the same time, it has been observed that both elderly parents and adult children have increased expectations for help from the state in times of crisis such as the pandemic. Considering the employment and income losses, the necessity of increasing employment support and official financial aid has emerged. The decrease in the frequency of intergenerational practical assistance and care assistance points to the necessity of increasing the services to be provided to elderly individuals, especially by local governments. In addition, the necessity of providing psycho-social support to both adult children and elderly parents has emerged in order to strengthen intergenerational solidarity.