“I’m never alone and lonely”: Multigenerational living in Brisbane, QLD

2015-02-17

Multigenerational households – where two or more generations of related adults cohabit in the same dwelling – is recognised as a traditional practice amongst many African, Asian, and Eastern and Southern European cultures, yet they are also a significant sub-group of the population in the western world, including Australia. Much of the existing research into multigenerational households in Australia has focussed on the economic factors that contribute to (and sustain) multigenerational living, including intergenerational wealth transfers, the effect of global economic crises and the retraction of social welfare in many western countries. Little attention, however, has been paid to the lived, everyday experiences of such a living arrangement. This is an important omission as family structure and living arrangements can have a significant impact on individual wellbeing and quality of life.This paper draws upon the results of a web-based survey (133 responses), 16 diaries and 18 in-depth interviews with multigenerational household members in one major Australian city – Brisbane, QLD – to report on the benefits and challenges experienced by people living in multigenerational households. With the fastest growing multigenerational household population of all of the Australian cities, Brisbane serves as an excellent case study for wider, national considerations.The paper reveals that the benefits and drawbacks of multigenerational living experienced by household members appear to differ depending on the pathways through which they came to live together and the form of their multigenerational living arrangement (adult children yet to leave home, boomeranging post-relationship breakdown, older parents moving in for care etc.). It concludes with a discussion about the implications of these findings for housing and related policies that impact on the quality of life of multigenerational households.

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