Living Alone in the United States and Europe: The Impact of Public Support on the Independence of Older Adults
| Autor: | Šime Smolić, Ivan Čipin, Stipica Mudrazija, Jacqueline L. Angel |
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| Rok vydání: | 2020 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Health (social science) Health Professions (miscellaneous) Abstracts 0302 clinical medicine Overpopulation Economic Status 030212 general & internal medicine living alone income and wealth public policy HRS SHARE Personal economic resources 050207 economics 10. No inequality media_common Aged 80 and over education.field_of_study Family Characteristics Retirement Multilevel model 05 social sciences 1. No poverty Welfare state Middle Aged Aging SHARE HRS United States Europe Europe 050902 family studies Female Independent Living Psychology Social Psychology media_common.quotation_subject Population Public policy 030209 endocrinology & metabolism Context (language use) Social Security 03 medical and health sciences Social support Age Distribution 0502 economics and business Humans Sex Distribution Life-span and Life-course Studies education Aged Social Support Health and Retirement Study Independence United States Demographic economics Business 0509 other social sciences Geriatrics and Gerontology Welfare Independent living |
| Zdroj: | Research on Aging |
| ISSN: | 1552-7573 |
| Popis: | Aging of the population and the growing preference for privacy and independence make older adults living alone one of the fastest- growing segments of the population. However, data suggest that a substantial segment of this population, especially women whose spouses passed away or who experienced late-life marital dissolution, often suffers greater financial hardship than persons living in family households. Public support for older adults can alleviate the financial strain of living alone in the community, but as of yet we have a limited understanding of its availability and impact across countries. In this study, we analyze data for 19 European countries from the 2011–2015 Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, and for the United States from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study to compare cross-national income and wealth profiles of the 60 and over population living alone. We fit logistic regression models to assess cross-national differences in the likelihood of living alone by income and wealth groups, and multilevel models to estimate the impact of public support on living alone. The results show that the likelihood of living alone is higher in generous welfare states, and measures of social spending and support have positive impact on it. Simultaneously, the link between personal economic resources and living alone has a smaller positive gradient in countries with robust welfare systems. We discuss the results in the context of policies that support older adults living alone and draw lessons for the United States and other countries. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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