Parenthood and Quality of Life in Old Age: The Role of Individual Resources, the Welfare State and the Economy

We analyse the relationship between parenthood and quality of life in old age. Our main rationale is that the effect of having children on the quality of life varies with individual financial well-being as well as with the societal context, e.g. the welfare state and the economy. Analyses are based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (wave 2 and 4) and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (wave 6) with respondents aged 50 plus from 19 European countries in all. We find the effect of parenthood on quality of life to depend on individual resources, the economy and social service expenditures. Older persons with difficulties in making ends meet, living in less affluent countries with lower gross domestic product per capita and welfare states with higher spending on social services benefit the most from parenthood in late life. Women and men in financial ease do not benefit from parenthood in old age. We do not find substantial gender differences in the relationship of parenthood and quality of life.