Proximity to a Child and Contact Frequency With Children in the Context of Relocation: Do Contact Modes Matter?

Relocation, a common life event in later life, may affect the nature of intergenerational contact. This study examined changes in contact frequency with adult children across four contact modes (in-person, telephone, email and social media) following relocation. We leveraged data from the Health and Retirement Study (2014–2018) include 3,015 older adults aged 50 or older who either stayed or relocated in the last 4 years. Using ordinal logistic regression, we found there were differential effects of relocation and proximity on changes in intergenerational contact frequency, depending on contact mode. While in-person and telephone contact modes are sensitive to both relocation and proximity to a child, email and social media contact modes, on the other hand, are not sensitive to relocation and proximity to a child. Our findings suggest that digital communication technologies may help overcome the barrier of physical distance and play a vital role in maintaining intergenerational relationships.