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Living arrangements of community-dwelling older Singaporeans: predictors and consequences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 February 2017

BINA GUBHAJU ,
TRULS ØSTBYE  and
ANGELIQUE CHAN
BINA GUBHAJU*
Affiliation:
Centre for Ageing Research and Education, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
TRULS ØSTBYE
Affiliation:
Centre for Ageing Research and Education, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A.
ANGELIQUE CHAN
Affiliation:
Centre for Ageing Research and Education, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. Department of Sociology, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
*
Address for correspondence: Bina Gubhaju, Centre for Ageing Research and Education (CARE), Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore169857 E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

In this paper, we examine predictors and consequences of living arrangements among community-dwelling older Singaporeans. We take a holistic approach and consider a range of social and economic as well as emotional and physical wellbeing indicators. Two waves (2009, 2011) of the Panel on Health and Ageing of Singaporean Elderly (PHASE) are analysed to (a) provide an overview of living arrangements in 2009 and assess the extent to which living arrangements change by 2011; (b) examine the predictors of living arrangements in 2009; and (c) examine the consequences of living arrangements over a two-year period. The majority (88%) of older Singaporeans co-reside with either their spouse and/or children. A small yet growing proportion live with others (5%) or live alone (6%). Very little change in living arrangements is observed over the two years. Our results show that women, the oldest-old and older adults with fewer children are more likely to live alone. Older adults who live alone are not particularly disadvantaged compared to those who live with their spouse and children or spouse only in their social and economic wellbeing. It is, in fact, older adults who live with their children that are disadvantaged in many aspects of social, economic and mental wellbeing. Measures to engage older adults living with their families (along with those living alone and with others) in broader social activities are imperative.

Keywords

living arrangementsliving aloneolder adultshealth and social wellbeingSingapore
Type
Article
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 38 , Issue 6 , June 2018 , pp. 1174 - 1198
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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