Project – Digital Care Networks and Intergenerational Family Support: Changing Patterns of Responsibility Among Urban Households in Abuja.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Research Topic: Digital Care Networks and Intergenerational Family Support: Changing Patterns of Responsibility Among Urban Households in Abuja

1.1 Background to the Study

The family remains an important institution for providing care, emotional security, financial assistance and social support across generations. In many societies, family relationships extend beyond parents and children to include grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles and other relatives who contribute to household welfare. Such support may involve childcare, assistance to older relatives, payment of medical expenses, provision of food and accommodation, emotional encouragement and advice on personal or economic matters. Intergenerational family support is especially important because family members’ needs change throughout their lives. Parents may support their children during childhood and education, while adult children may later assist ageing parents with healthcare, living expenses and everyday activities. Grandparents may also contribute by caring for grandchildren or supporting younger households. Akinrolie, Okoh and Kalu (2020), in their study of intergenerational support between older adults and adult children in Northern Nigeria, found that financial assistance was an important form of support and that expectations of reciprocity influenced relationships between generations. Their findings also showed that older parents and adult children could perceive the balance of support differently. This indicates that intergenerational support involves not only the transfer of resources but also expectations, obligations and interpretations of what family members owe one another. Understanding how these relationships operate is therefore important for examining whether new communication practices are changing the ways urban households organise care and distribute family responsibilities.

The increasing use of information and communication technologies has created new opportunities for family members to maintain relationships and provide support even when they live in different homes or locations. Mobile phones, instant messaging applications, video calls, social networking platforms and digital financial services can enable relatives to communicate frequently, exchange information, transfer money and coordinate assistance. Through these tools, a parent living apart from a child may participate in decisions about schooling, a working adult may contribute to a parent’s medical expenses remotely, and siblings may coordinate responsibilities for an older relative. Bakuri and Amoabeng (2023), in their study of Ghanaians living in Ghana and the Netherlands, examined how information and communication technologies supported family relationships across geographical distance. They found that digital communication enabled family members to provide financial, emotional, moral and practical support and helped them maintain a sense of family connection. Although their research was not conducted in Abuja, it demonstrates how digital communication can become part of the everyday activities through which relatives sustain family relationships and fulfil obligations. Digital care networks can consequently be understood as connections among family members and other trusted individuals who use digital tools to communicate, coordinate assistance and respond to care needs. Their significance lies not simply in the availability of technology but in how families incorporate these tools into the practical and emotional work of supporting one another.

Intergenerational support also includes communication, companionship, the exchange of knowledge and the maintenance of emotional bonds. Older adults may depend on younger relatives for assistance with digital devices, online services or access to information, while younger generations may rely on older family members for childcare, guidance, financial assistance and knowledge of family traditions. Support therefore does not necessarily flow in only one direction; different generations may contribute different resources according to their abilities and circumstances. The concept of intergenerational solidarity provides a useful perspective for understanding these relationships because it considers the ways affection, contact, shared expectations and practical exchanges connect generations. Bengtson and Roberts (1991), in their work on intergenerational solidarity in ageing families, explained how family relationships can be examined through dimensions such as emotional closeness, association, functional exchange and normative expectations. This framework is relevant to digital care networks because online communication may increase contact between relatives, but contact alone does not establish whether meaningful support is being provided. For example, regular messages to an older parent may offer reassurance, but the parent may still require physical assistance with daily activities. Similarly, video calls between grandparents and grandchildren may strengthen emotional bonds without replacing the practical work of childcare. Examining digital care networks therefore requires attention to how communication supports or complements the actual provision of care across generations.

Urbanisation can influence family support by changing where relatives live, how much time they have available and the practical arrangements through which they provide assistance. In urban settings, family members may occupy separate homes, commute long distances, work irregular hours or relocate to pursue employment and education. These circumstances can make regular face-to-face support difficult, particularly when children require supervision or older relatives need frequent assistance. Abuja provides a relevant setting for investigating these issues because it is a major urban centre where households may experience different residential arrangements, work schedules and demands on family time. Digital communication may help relatives coordinate responsibilities across these circumstances, but it does not automatically eliminate the need for physical care or the costs associated with providing it. Baldassar (2008), in her study of care and transnational family relationships, demonstrated that care can be maintained across distance through communication, visits, financial transfers and other practices, while geographical separation can create emotional and practical challenges. Bakuri and Amoabeng (2023) similarly show that family members use information and communication technologies to sustain connections and organise support across different locations. These studies suggest that distance need not end family involvement, although the nature of support may change when relatives cannot regularly be physically present. Investigating urban households in Abuja can therefore help explain how digital tools are incorporated into family arrangements under conditions where residential proximity and personal availability may be limited.

Digital care networks may also affect how family members negotiate and distribute responsibility. In some households, caregiving duties are shaped by gender, age, birth order, financial capacity, marital status and proximity to the relative requiring assistance. Digital platforms may allow relatives who live elsewhere to participate in family discussions, contribute money, arrange appointments or coordinate visits. For instance, family members may use a messaging group to agree on medical expenses for an older parent or organise who will supervise a child during school holidays. These arrangements can potentially broaden participation and make care coordination more efficient. However, the ability to participate digitally does not necessarily mean that family members share the workload equally. One relative may continue to provide daily physical care while others offer occasional financial support or advice from a distance. Di Leonardo (1987), in her analysis of kin work, highlighted the ongoing labour involved in maintaining relationships with relatives, including communication, visits, gift-giving and organising family gatherings. Her work helps explain why family support requires sustained effort rather than occurring automatically because people are related. When these activities are increasingly organised through digital platforms, some tasks may become easier, while new expectations may emerge concerning who should respond to messages, coordinate contributions or remain available during family emergencies. It is therefore necessary to examine whether digital care networks redistribute responsibilities or primarily provide new channels through which existing family obligations are managed.

The ability to benefit from digital care networks may differ across generations and households because access to technology, digital skills, time and financial resources is not uniform. Some family members may be comfortable using messaging applications, online banking and video calls, while others may require assistance to operate devices or complete digital transactions. Younger relatives may consequently assume an additional role as technology intermediaries, helping older adults access information, communicate with service providers or receive financial assistance. At the same time, older generations may provide valuable support through childcare, financial contributions, practical advice and emotional guidance. Akinrolie et al. (2020) found that reciprocity remained important in intergenerational support in Northern Nigeria, although parents and adult children did not always assess the exchange of assistance in the same way. This suggests that the balance of support is shaped by perceptions and expectations as well as by the resources actually exchanged. Bakuri and Amoabeng (2023) also demonstrate that digital family relationships can involve care, empathy and cooperation while generating anxiety and difficulties when communication is unreliable or inconvenient. These findings indicate that digital care networks can support intergenerational solidarity but may also create new demands on those who possess the necessary skills, time or resources. The study must therefore consider not only the availability of digital communication but also how access and capacity influence participation and responsibility within urban households.

Although digital communication can help families maintain contact and coordinate assistance, it cannot independently resolve all the challenges associated with caregiving. A digital message cannot replace physical supervision when a child is ill, and a financial transfer may not address the emotional or practical needs of an older person who requires daily assistance. In addition, unreliable connectivity, the cost of devices and data, limited digital literacy and disagreements about family obligations may restrict the usefulness of digital care networks. These issues matter because family support depends on the relationship between communication and the actual resources that relatives can provide. Akinrolie et al. (2020) emphasise the importance of reciprocity and differing perceptions of support in Nigerian intergenerational relationships, while Bakuri and Amoabeng (2023) show that digital communication can sustain family relationships but also produce anxieties and difficulties. Baldassar (2008) further illustrates that distance-spanning care requires more than communication alone; it involves practical arrangements, emotional effort and different forms of contribution. Taken together, this literature provides a basis for examining digital care networks as a potential support mechanism rather than assuming that technology automatically improves family welfare. The central concern of the present study is to establish how urban households in Abuja use digital networks to sustain intergenerational family support and whether these networks are associated with changes in the allocation of caregiving responsibilities among family members.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Intergenerational family support remains a major source of financial, emotional and practical assistance for children, adults and older people. However, changing residential arrangements, work commitments and the increasing use of digital communication technologies may be altering how family members organise and deliver such support. Relatives who do not live together can now exchange messages, make video calls, transfer money and coordinate assistance through digital platforms. These practices may enable family members to remain involved in one another’s lives despite geographical separation, but the extent to which they translate into practical support is not always clear. Bakuri and Amoabeng (2023) found that digital technologies enabled family members to maintain relationships and provide different forms of support across distance. Nevertheless, their findings also indicated that sustaining family relationships online involved ongoing effort and could generate anxiety and communication difficulties. The problem is that the increased use of digital tools does not, by itself, establish whether care is becoming more accessible, better coordinated or more equitably shared. There is a need to examine how digital care networks operate within urban households in Abuja and how they relate to the everyday provision of intergenerational family support.

A second problem concerns the distribution of caregiving responsibilities among family members. Digital communication can enable relatives to participate in decisions, provide money and coordinate care without being physically present. However, participation in online discussions or financial contributions may not reduce the practical workload carried by relatives who live with, or near, the person requiring care. A family member may continue to handle daily childcare, medical appointments, shopping and personal assistance while other relatives contribute intermittently through digital channels. Di Leonardo (1987) explained that maintaining kin relationships involves continuing work, including communication and the organisation of family activities. Akinrolie et al. (2020) also found that perceptions of support and reciprocity can differ between older parents and their adult children. These findings raise questions about whether digital care networks help distribute responsibilities more fairly or whether they reinforce existing patterns in which particular family members bear a disproportionate share of caregiving. The problem requires empirical examination because the presence of digital communication cannot be treated as proof that caregiving duties have been redistributed.

A third problem arises from differences in digital access, skills and resources between generations. Some younger family members may be able to use digital financial services, video calls and messaging applications with little difficulty, whereas some older adults may need assistance to use these tools. This can create additional responsibilities for relatives who manage family communication or help others access digital services. At the same time, those relatives may have work, education, childcare and financial obligations of their own. Families may also experience difficulties arising from unreliable internet access, the cost of mobile data or devices, privacy concerns and disagreements over who should respond to requests for help. Bakuri and Amoabeng (2023) demonstrate that digital technologies can sustain family relationships while also producing challenges associated with communication and coordination. Akinrolie et al. (2020) show that family members may have different perceptions of the support they give and receive. The unresolved issue is how these differences influence the participation of family members in digital care networks and whether they affect the sharing of intergenerational responsibilities among urban households in Abuja.

Finally, although existing studies provide important insights into intergenerational support in Nigeria and the use of digital technologies to maintain family relationships, there remains a need for context-specific evidence concerning urban households in Abuja. Akinrolie et al. (2020) investigated intergenerational support between older adults and adult children in Northern Nigeria, while Bakuri and Amoabeng (2023) examined digital family relationships among Ghanaians living in Ghana and the Netherlands. These studies provide useful foundations, but they do not directly establish how digital care networks influence the allocation of caregiving responsibilities among urban households in Abuja. Differences in household structure, employment, residential distance, digital access and family expectations may shape how these networks are used. It would therefore be inappropriate to assume that findings from other settings fully explain the experiences of households in Abuja. This study seeks to address the gap by examining the forms of digital care networks used by urban households, their contribution to financial, emotional and practical support, and their relationship with changing patterns of intergenerational responsibility. The aim is to establish whether these networks support cooperation and reciprocal care while recognising the practical and social constraints that may limit their effectiveness.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to examine digital care networks and intergenerational family support, with particular attention to changing patterns of responsibility among urban households in Abuja.

The specific objectives are to:

1. Examine the forms and extent of digital care networks used to coordinate intergenerational family support among urban households in Abuja.

2. Assess how digital care networks influence the provision of financial, emotional and practical support between different generations.

3. Examine how digital care networks affect the sharing and allocation of caregiving responsibilities among family members in urban households in Abuja.

4. Identify the major challenges and opportunities associated with using digital care networks to sustain intergenerational family support among urban households in Abuja.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions will guide the study:

1. What forms of digital care networks are used to coordinate intergenerational family support among urban households in Abuja?

2. How do digital care networks influence the provision of financial, emotional and practical support between different generations?

3. How do digital care networks affect the sharing and allocation of caregiving responsibilities among family members in urban households in Abuja?

4. What are the major challenges and opportunities associated with using digital care networks to sustain intergenerational family support among urban households in Abuja?

1.5 Research Hypothesis

The following null hypothesis will be tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H₀: There is no statistically significant relationship between the use of digital care networks and the sharing of intergenerational caregiving responsibilities among urban households in Abuja.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The study is expected to be significant to families, older adults, younger generations, social workers, policymakers, community organisations and researchers.

Families and household members: The study may help families understand how digital communication tools can support the coordination of care, financial contributions and emotional assistance across generations. The findings may encourage households to clarify caregiving expectations, improve communication and develop more balanced arrangements for sharing responsibilities.

Older adults: The study may provide insight into how digital care networks can help older people maintain contact with relatives, request assistance, participate in family decisions and receive emotional support. It may also identify difficulties experienced by older adults who have limited access to digital devices or require assistance using digital services.

Younger generations: The findings may improve understanding of the changing roles of younger relatives in maintaining intergenerational relationships. They may reveal how younger family members can support parents and grandparents through digital communication while managing their own employment, education, childcare and financial responsibilities.

Social workers and family-support practitioners: The study may provide information about how families organise informal care and the challenges associated with sharing responsibilities across households. This knowledge may support the development of family-support programmes, caregiver guidance and interventions that promote cooperation between generations.

Government and policymakers: The study may contribute to discussions about digital inclusion, ageing, family welfare and community-based care. Its findings may inform policies and programmes that promote affordable digital access, digital literacy and support for informal caregivers.

Community and civil society organisations: Community associations, religious organisations and voluntary groups may benefit from understanding how digital networks complement existing family-support systems. The findings may help such organisations identify ways to connect households with information, practical assistance and community resources.

Researchers and academic institutions: The study may contribute to scholarship on digital communication, family sociology, intergenerational solidarity and caregiving in urban African settings. It may also provide a foundation for comparative studies involving Abuja and other Nigerian urban centres.

1.7 Scope of the Study

The study focuses on digital care networks and intergenerational family support, specifically the changing patterns of responsibility among urban households in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.

Content scope: The study covers the use of digital communication and coordination tools to facilitate financial, emotional and practical family support. It also examines how digital networks relate to caregiving responsibilities, participation in family decisions, reciprocal support and challenges associated with digital access.

Geographical scope: The study is limited to selected urban households in Abuja. The findings will be interpreted within the characteristics of the households covered and will not automatically be generalised to all households in Nigeria.

Population scope: The study focuses on adult members of urban households who participate in, receive or have knowledge of digital family-support arrangements. These may include adult children, parents, grandparents and other relatives involved in providing or coordinating assistance.

Methodological scope: The study will examine participants’ experiences and perceptions of digital care networks and intergenerational responsibility. The research design, sample size, sampling technique, research instruments and data-analysis procedures will be presented in Chapter Three.

1.8 Limitations of the Study

The study may encounter several limitations.

First, self-reported information may be affected by participants’ willingness or ability to describe their family-support practices accurately. Some participants may overstate their contributions or underestimate the assistance they receive from other relatives.

Second, differences in digital access and literacy may influence participation in digital care networks. Households with reliable internet access and greater familiarity with digital tools may use these networks differently from households with limited connectivity or digital skills.

Third, variations in family structure may make direct comparisons difficult. Some households may include several generations living together, while others may coordinate support across separate residences. These differences will need to be considered when interpreting the findings.

Fourth, sensitive family relationships may affect the information participants provide. Discussions about financial contributions, unequal caregiving burdens or disagreements among relatives may involve personal matters that participants are reluctant to disclose.

Finally, the geographical focus on Abuja may limit the extent to which findings apply to other Nigerian settings. Differences in economic conditions, family expectations, household arrangements and digital access may produce different experiences elsewhere.

1.9 Operational Definition of Terms

Digital care networks: Connections among relatives and other trusted individuals who use digital technologies to communicate, coordinate assistance and maintain support for family members.

Intergenerational family support: Assistance exchanged between people from different generations within a family, including financial contributions, childcare, elder care, emotional support, advice and practical help.

Changing patterns of responsibility: Changes in how family members negotiate, share and perform caregiving and support obligations across generations.

Urban households: Families or groups of people living together, or maintaining a shared household arrangement, within urban areas of Abuja.

Caregiving responsibilities: Tasks performed to meet another person’s practical, emotional, social or personal needs, including childcare, assistance to older relatives, organising appointments and providing daily support.

Financial support: Money or payment of expenses provided by one family member to assist another.

Emotional support: Expressions of affection, reassurance, encouragement, companionship and concern provided to family members.

Practical support: Direct assistance with daily activities, household tasks, transport, childcare, appointments and other everyday needs.

Digital communication: The exchange of information through technology-enabled channels such as mobile calls, text messages, instant messaging applications, video calls and social networking platforms.

Intergenerational reciprocity: The exchange of assistance between generations, including the expectation that support given at one stage of life may be returned or reciprocated at another stage.

1.10 Organisation of the Study

The study will be organised into five chapters.

Chapter One presents the introduction, background to the study, statement of the problem, aim and objectives, research questions, research hypothesis, significance, scope, limitations and operational definitions of terms.

Chapter Two reviews relevant conceptual, theoretical and empirical literature on digital care networks, intergenerational family support, caregiving, digital communication and changing family responsibilities. It will also identify the research gap and present the theoretical framework.

Chapter Three explains the research methodology, including the research design, population, sample size, sampling technique, research instrument, validity and reliability procedures, methods of data collection and techniques of data analysis.

Chapter Four presents, analyses and discusses the data collected in relation to the research objectives, research questions and hypothesis.

Chapter Five summarises the findings, draws conclusions, presents recommendations, discusses the limitations of the study and suggests areas for further research.

Project – Digital Care Networks and Intergenerational Family Support: Changing Patterns of Responsibility Among Urban Households in Abuja.