55. At the family and community levels, intergenerational ties can be valuable for everyone. Individual and family choices, geographical mobility and the pressures of contemporary life can keep people apart, yet the great majority of people in all cultures maintain close relations with their families throughout their lives. These relationships work in both directions, with older persons often providing significant contributions financially, emotionally and in respect of the education and care of grandchildren and other kin, thereby making a crucial contribution to the stability of the family unit.
55. 在家庭和社区层面，代际联系对每个人来说都可能十分宝贵。个人和家庭的选择，地理上的移动，还有当代生活的各种压力，可能会使人们各居一方，但是在所有文化中，绝大多数人一生都会同家庭保持密切关系。这些关系是双向的，老年人往往在经济上、感情上以及在教育和照料孙辈和其他亲属方面做出巨大贡献，因而为家庭稳定做出至关重要的贡献。