Australians believe it is fine for adult children to return to the family home but are not as supportive of having their ageing parents live with them.
They also generally back parents providing financial support if their adult children are in difficulty and vice versa, research by the Australian Institute of Family Studies found.
Institute director Anne Hollonds says the nation's families acknowledge they have responsibilities to help older and younger generations with financial assistance and even a place to live in some circumstances.
"Within families there's a recognition that intergenerational support is a two way street - both for young people finding their feet but also for older family members who are becoming frail and in need of informal care," she said on Thursday.
"However, that obligation does not extend to widespread support for adult children having their ageing parents come to live with them."
In research by the institute, just under half the survey respondents agreed that adult children should let their ageing parents live with them in cases of need.
Older people themselves were also against the idea, with the over 65s the least in favour of ageing parents having to live in the homes of their adult children, Ms Hollonds said.
She said more young adults were remaining or returning to the parental home to pursue educational opportunities and many grandparents were caring for grandchildren on a weekly basis.
"Older people's relative wealth and extended years of good health suggest many have an increased capacity to support their adult children in financial and practical ways."
WHAT THE GENERATIONS THINK ABOUT SUPPORTING EACH OTHER:
* 59 pct say parents should support adult children financially if they need it
* 64 pct say adult children should support parents financially
* 63 pct say parents should let adult children live with them
* 47 pct say adult children should let ageing parents live with them.
