The interface between family responsibility and state responsibility in caring for the elderly in israel

This chapter reviews the literature on family responsibility and the utilization of formal services and presents research findings on these issues. It describes and analyzes the policies in Israel with respect to responsibility for elder care and the extent to which families and the state share the responsibility. The chapter also reviews the extent to which the needs of elderly persons are met, to point out the gaps between policies and service provision, and to address the implications for future policies and practice. In a cross-cultural study conducted in several European countries and in Israel, filial norms and policy opinions about the proper role of the family and the welfare state in the care of elderly persons were examined. Filial responsibility is conceptualized as a general societal attitude toward adult children’s duty to care for their aging parents’ needs as well as what their appropriate behavior should be.