Aging Independently: Understanding Older Adults’ Living Arrangements across Societies

Federica Becca , Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics / Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
Maria Pohl, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona
Albert Esteve, Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics / Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
David Reher, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Living arrangements among older adults are heterogeneous and reflect contextual factors such as population aging, economic development, cultural norms, as well as individual characteristics. Although coresidence with children or grandchildren remains common, independent living, either alone or with a spouse, has become increasingly prevalent. Yet, the fundamental determinants of independent living at older ages remain poorly understood. Combining census and survey data from the harmonized novel Global Living Arrangements Database (GLAD) with Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), this article examines the determinants of independent living arrangements among older adults aged 65 to 85 across 128 countries and 550 country-year samples, over the past six decades. We conduct descriptive and multilevel analysis, combining individual-level characteristics (age, sex, marital status, and educational attainment) with macro-level determinants such as share of older adults in the population, a development indicator (proxied with HDI), and level of values secularization. We compare the prevalences of living alone or with a spouse to other forms of living arrangements, and assess cross-national and temporal variation. Our findings highlight the dominant role of macro-level determinants such as the share of older adults in the population, economic development, and value systems in explaining differences in the share of independent living in later life across societies and over time.

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 Presented in Session 11. Intergenerational Proximity, Living Arrangements and Kin Ties Across Societies