How did family and kin take care of their elderly in the communities of Limbricht (South of the Netherlands with extensive household structures) and Scheemda (North of the Netherlands with more nuclear families) in the decades between both world wars.

The continuing aging of the population sparked off a public discussion on the extent of state care of elderly people. A historical evaluation of the Dutch system of family care is an essential part in the above discussion, especially regarding options like self-aid and 'mantelzorg'. Using population …