This article employs descriptive and regression analyses to examine household living
arrangements and access to income by older people and by members of their household
over the period 2005-2010, and on the basis of the patterns and trends to postulate on the
probable directional flow of support from, to and between older people. It uses longitudinal
surveillance data for the period 2005-2010 collected in rural South Africa. The paper begins
with a section on theoretical underpinnings of intergenerational transfers, followed by a
section which will briefly discuss income sources among rural South African populations and
a discussion on income pooling within households. This background discussion will then be
followed by sections on study objectives, data sources and study design including an
overview of analytical measures and factors considered. A presentation of the study
findings, comment on these findings and a conclusion section will then conclude the paper.