Care for older relatives is central in ageing societies, and the timing of caregiving onset significantly shapes caregivers’ health, social and employment trajectories. However, differences in the age at which family caregiving begins and their potential social and intersectional stratification have not been sufficiently explored. Using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), we analysed individuals becoming daily caregivers between Waves 1 and 9 (ages 50–95). We explored intersectional inequalities in the age of caregiving onset, distinguishing intra- (partner, siblings) and intergenerational (parents, in-laws) caregiving. Intra-generational caregiving onset had a maximum 11-year difference between strata, while intergenerational caregiving had a four-year maximum difference. Across both types of care, women with low-skill occupations and high education had an earlier caregiving onset in the lifecourse. This was particularly pronounced for intra-generational care, with unique intersectional differences that could not be explained by single social factors alone. These findings highlight large inequalities in the age of caregiving onset between intersectional strata for both intra- and intergenerational care, demonstrating that becoming a care-giver is a socially stratified lifecourse transition. This contribution identifies who enters caregiving earlier, informing more targeted policy and practitioner support to prevent the accumulation of disadvantage in older ages. Mapping the social heterogeneity and intersectional nature of caregiving onset is critical to further understanding the prerequisites, meaning and consequences for family caregivers across the lifecourse.

This article examines Civil War commemoration in St. Louis, Missouri, to demonstrate not only that Memorial Day celebrations followed an atypical path in this border-state city, but that shifts in how Memorial Day was celebrated strongly affected which groups were able to participate. Public Civil War commemoration in St. Louis became increasingly reconciliationist in the early 1870s as the public rejected continued Reconstruction, with the result that Memorial Day became a joint Union and Confederate commemoration. Women and Black men were increasingly excluded, leaving white men, both native-born and German American, to control the narrative of the day. In the 1880s, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), gained enough power in the city to seize control of Memorial Day and change it into a commemoration that honored the Union cause only. This shift also created space for Black veterans and women of both races to participate through their membership in the GAR and its auxiliary, the Woman’s Relief Corps.

Social integration is a critical predictor of health and wellbeing for older people, yet limited research examines how older people experiencing homelessness navigate social integration and what their needs are. This study explores how 20 older adults with lived experiences of homelessness and housing precarity perceive and experience social integration in an independent housing setting with on-site support. Additionally, it aims to identify the factors that facilitate and promote social integration for this population. Drawing on semi-structured lifecourse interviews and photovoice sessions, reflexive thematic analysis identified four key themes: (1) From isolation to inclusion: narratives on social integration; (2) Space, place and social integration; (3) Unlocking pathways to deep and meaningful social interactions; and (4) Navigating social integration: the vital role of autonomy and choice. The findings reveal that social integration exists along a continuum. While some participants valued solitude and independence, others actively sought meaningful connections, or occupied a middle ground, engaging in casual interactions. Social integration was influenced by three factors: the built and natural environment, opportunities for deep and meaningful interactions, and individual autonomy and choice. These findings add to the knowledge and debate surrounding the definition of social integration and its contributory factors, especially for older adults with experiences of homelessness and housing precarity. The study underscores the need for different housing models and environments to accommodate and cater across the social integration continuum, ensuring that everyone can find their place within the community and engage in a way that feels comfortable and fulfilling for them.

Existing studies on elderly care vulnerability have overlooked how ageing itself shapes such vulnerability, particularly in rural contexts. To address this research gap, this study explores the impact of ageing on rural elderly care vulnerability through vulnerability decomposition, employing the Alkire-Foster method. We draw on data from the 2013, 2018 and 2021 waves of the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS). The findings reveal a consistent upward trend in elderly care vulnerability among rural older adults between 2013 and 2021, indicating that population ageing exerts a detrimental effect on the overall elderly care vulnerability of rural seniors. Significant group disparities are observed: the advanced-age group exhibits substantially higher vulnerability than their younger elderly counterparts. Further analysis of the drivers behind this increased vulnerability shows that from 2013 to 2018, the number of children and property holdings were the primary influencing factors. In contrast, from 2018 to 2021, heightened deprivation in social interaction and insufficient participation in insurance schemes emerged as key contributors. Additionally, participation in political, economic and religious activities was found to alleviate elderly care vulnerability – with these mitigating effects being more pronounced among men, economically disadvantaged individuals and those with lower educational attainment.