Silverstein Comments on Multigenerational Living in New York Times Article

March 31, 2022

The New York Times

Merril Silverstein

Sociology Department

Aging Studies Institute

Center for Policy Research

Mental Health

Parenting & Family

United States

The New York Times

Merril Silverstein

A new report from Pew Research Center found that "multigenerational living has grown sharply in the U.S. over the past five decades and shows no sign of peaking." According to Pew, the top two reasons for multigenerational living were financial issues and caregiving needs. And overall, Americans who live with relatives from other generations feel good about it.

"I think it’s a net positive," says Merril Silverstein, professor of sociology and Marjorie Cantor Endowed Professor in Aging. "In gerontology, we like to say dependence is a double-edged sword. We want to rely on people, but we also resent them, and that’s part of the human condition." Read more in the New York Times article, "The Nuclear Family Is No Longer the Norm. Good."