Intact or in tatters? Family care of older women and men in urban Mexico

Abstract

This article asks how family relationships affect the living conditions of low-income elderly people in urban Mexico. There is little State provision of accommodation for the elderly, forcing older people to rely on their families for care. Yet many poorer families cannot afford to provide care, and some are unwilling to do so. In addition, families treat elderly men and women differently, with significant consequences for women's and men's housing conditions and wellbeing in later life.