Il ruolo della famiglia nell’assistenza agli anziani in Europa e in Italia. Un’analisi basata sui dati Share

[Machine translation] The article proposes a descriptive analysis of the main variables that influence the process of caring for the elderly within the family unit. The data is taken from Share, a database that contains information on the economic, family, social and health conditions of individuals over the age of 50 from different European countries. The reference year is 2017, relative to the last Share survey, but the work also includes a vision of trends starting from the year 2004. The objective is twofold: first, to offer an overview of the role of the family in caring for the elderly in Europe and in particular in Italy; second, to bring out a series of considerations on the measures useful for dealing with the current demographic changes., We focus on variables that represent family ties and identify the differences between countries characterized respectively by family societies (typically in Southern Europe) and non-family societies (typically in Northern Europe)., The conclusions offer interesting policy ideas for dealing with the current demographic process, which in the coming decades will see the first baby boomers reach the age of eighty, an age in which the need for care becomes more pressing.