An "age"-old problem: graying societies in the U.S., Germany, and Italy each come with their own set of dilemmas.

• Author: Parker, Kim
• Position: Demographics

THE U.S. is turning gray, with the number of people age 65 and older expected to nearly double by 2050. This major demographic transition has implications for the economy, government programs such as Social Security, and families across the country. Among adults with at least one parent 65 or older, nearly threein-10 already say that, in the preceding 12 months, they have helped their parents financially. Twice that share report assisting a parent with personal care or day-to-day tasks. Based on demographic change alone, the burden on families seems likely to grow in the coming decades.

Germany and Italy, two of the "oldest" nations in the world, after only Japan, already are where the U.S. will be in 2050: one-fifth of the population in each country is age 65 or older. Compared with the U.S. today, a higher share of adults in Germany and Italy report helping their aging parents with basic tasks, and more in Italy also have provided personal care. However, in both countries, fewer adults than in the U.S. say they have provided financial assistance to their aging parents.

The latter difference underscores that, while Germany and Italy may provide a window into the demographic future of the U.S., cultural and political factors nonetheless distinguish the three countries. Nothing speaks to this more than the fact that, compared with Americans, twice as many Germans and even more Italians think the government should bear the greatest responsibility for people's economic well-being in their old age. By contrast, in the U.S., a majority say that families or individuals themselves should see to the well-being of seniors.

These are among the key findings from a survey by the Pew Research Center that compares the way families in the U.S., Germany, and Italy are coping as more people enter their senior years and eventually require assistance. Based on interviews with at least 1,500 adults ages 18 and older in each country, the survey also finds that many families are facing the dual challenge of caring for aging parents while also supporting adult children. In the U.S., Germany, and Italy, about half or more of adults who have at least one child 18 years of age or older say they have provided financial help to an adult child in the 12 months preceding the survey; at least as many in each country have assisted grown children in nonmonetary ways.

Notably, in all three countries, financial help is more likely to flow down to adult children than up to aging parents. However, when it comes to "sweat equity," about as many in each country are assisting senior-age parents with their needs as are helping adult children with child care, errands, housework, and other day-to-day tasks.

Even as about half or more of Italians and Germans say the state should be mostly responsible for ensuring financial stability in old age, many in all three...