Population Aging and Environmental Change as Key Determinants of Intergenerational Family Relations: A Retrospective and Presentist Perspective of Generation X Representatives

The article focuses on the conditions and consequences of population aging at the micro level, namely within the family context. The discussion is centred on intergenerational relations, examined through three analytical lenses: first, the lived experiences of Generation X; second, the theory of social change; and third, with reference to the theory of intergenerational solidarity. This theoretical framework will serve to closely examine the relationships between environmental changes and the quality of life of older adults – including their family relations. In this article, environmental change is understood in a broader sense than solely climate change. Environmental change also encompasses shifts in interpersonal relationships, transformations within the normative system, and evolving individual attitudes toward the institution of the family. The identification of the relationship between environmental changes and the quality and nature of intergenerational family relationships was achieved through a thematic analysis of qualitative research conducted in Poland in 2022 among members of Generation X. I based on respondents’ childhood recollections alongside their observations about old age in contemporary society. The findings presented in this text provide evidence that environmental changes have influenced, continue to influence, and will likely continue to influence the quality and structure of intergenerational relationships within the family. Members of Generation X are aware that the intergenerational solidarity they witnessed as children is now almost absent. Contemporary conditions shaping intergenerational relationships work to their disadvantage.