Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T18:57:41.908Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Living Arrangements of Older Residents: The Role of Gender, Marital Status, Age, and Family Size

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Ingrid Connidis  and
Judith Rempel
Ingrid Connidis
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Judith Rempel
Affiliation:
University of Western Ontario
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper reports findings from a study of 400 community-dwelling persons aged 65 and over. The stratified random sample resides in a city in Ontario, Canada, with a population of 260,000. A profile of their living arrangements is presented and then analysed with respect to respondent characteristics. Each of gender, marital status, and age are related to living arrangements at statistically significant levels, but control analyses indicate that gender is the most salient respondent characteristic. The authors argue that these observed gender differences in living arrangements are a reflection of sex role differences in today's older population. To the extent that these roles change, so too will the living arrangements of men and women. For both the present and future, differences by gender must be taken into account in housing and income policies.

Résumé

La présente communication fait état des observations recueillies au cours d'une étude portant sur 400 personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus vivant parmi la population. L'échantillon aléatoire stratifié réside dans une ville de 260 000 habitants en Ontario, au Canada. Les diverses solutions adoptées en réponse au probléme du logement sont présentées et analysées en fonction des traits caractéristiques des sujets. Le sexe, l'état matrimonial et l'âge sont liés de façon significative aux dispositions concernant le logement, mais l'analyse des sujets témoins indique que le sexe constitue le trait constitue le trait caractéristique le plus distinctif. Les auteurs soutiennent que la différence entre les dispositions adoptées par les membres des deux sexes est liée au rôle sexuel dans la population âgée actuelle. Ces dispositions se modifieront vraisemblablement au fur et à mesure de l'évolution des rôles sexuels. A l'heure actuelle ainsi que dans l'avenir, les différences observées devraient étre prises en compte dans l'établissement des mesures adoptées concernant le logement et les revenus.

Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , November 1983 , pp. 91 - 105
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Abu-Laban, S. The family life of older Canadians. In Marshall, V.M. (Ed.) Aging in Canada: social perspectives. Toronto: Fitzhenry and White-side, 1980.Google Scholar
Babchuk, N.Aging and primary relations. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 1978–1979, 9, 137–151.Google Scholar
Barberis, M.America's elderly: policy implications. Population Bulletin 35:4: Policy Supplement, 1981.Google Scholar
Becker, H. S.Outsiders. New York: Free Press, 1963.Google Scholar
Berardo, F. M.Survivorship and social isolation; the case of the aged widower. The Family Coordinator, 1970, 19, 11–25.Google Scholar
Bild, B. and Havighurst, R.Senior citizens in great cities: the case of Chicago. The Gerontologist, 1976, 16, 1: Part II.Google Scholar
Chappell, N. L. and Havens, B.Old and female: testing the double jeopardy hypothesis. The Sociological Quarterly, 1980, 21, 157–171.Google Scholar
Devlin, A. S.Housing for the elderly: cognitive considerations. Environment and Behavior, 1980, 12, 451–466.Google Scholar
Dulude, L.Women and aging: a report on the rest of our lives. Ottawa: Advisory Council on the Status of Women, 1978.Google Scholar
Fengler, A. P. and Danigelis, N.Residence, the elderly widow, and life satisfaction. Research on Aging, 1982, 4, 113–135.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fletcher., S. and Stone, L. E.Living arrangements of Canada's older women, (Cat. No. 86–503). Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and Services, 1982.Google Scholar
Foot, D. K.Canada's population outlook. Toronto: Lorimer, 1982.Google Scholar
Grindstaff, C. F.Population and society: a sociological perspective. West Hanover, Mass.: Christopher Publishing House, 1981.Google Scholar
Harvey, C. D. and Bahr, H. M.Widowhood, morale and affiliation. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 1974, 42, 327–336.Google Scholar
Hunter, K., Linn, M. W., Harris, R. and Pratt, T. C.Living arrangements and well-being in elderly women. Experimental Aging Research, 1979, 5, 523–535.Google Scholar
Jacobs, J.Older persons and retirement communities. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas. 1975.Google Scholar
Kalbach, W. E. and McVey, W. M.The demographic bases of Canadian society. 2nd ed. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 1979.Google Scholar
Marshall, V. W., Rosenthal, C. J. and Synge, J. Concerns about parental health. In Markson, E. W. (Ed.) Older women. Lexington and Toronto: D.C. Heath, 1983.Google Scholar
Martin, W.Activity and disengagement and life satisfaction of in-movers to a retirement community. The Gerontologist, 1973, 13, 224–227.Google Scholar
Martin Matthews, A. Women and widowhood. In Marshall, V. M. (Ed.) Aging in Canada: social perspectives. Toronto: Fitzhenry and White-side, 1980.Google Scholar
Matthews, S. H.The social world of old women: management of self-identity. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications, 1979.Google Scholar
McAuley, W. J. and Offerle, J. M. Perceived suitability of residence and life satifaction among the elderly and handicapped. Paper presented to the Canadian Association on Gerontology and Gerontological Society of America, Toronto, 1981.Google Scholar
Mindel, C. H.Multigenerational family households: recent trends and implications for the future. The Gerontologist, 1979, 19, 456–463.Google Scholar
Montgomery, J. E.The housing patterns of older families. Family Coordinator, 1972, 21, 37–46.Google Scholar
Moss, M. S. and Lawton, M. P.Time budgets of older people: a window on four lifestyles. Journal of Gerontology, 1982, 7, 115–123.Google Scholar
Murikami, E. and Pynoos, J. Effects of marital status on living arrangements and housing preferences of retired women professionals. Paper presented to the Canadian Association on Gerontology and the Gerontological Society of America, Toronto, 1981.Google Scholar
Powers, E. A. and Bultena, G. L.Sex differences in intimate friendships of old age. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 1976, 38, 739–747.Google Scholar
Rosow, I. Retirement housing and social integration. In Tibbitts, C. and Donahue, W. (Eds.) Social and psychological aspects of aging. New York: Columbia University Press, 1980.Google Scholar
Schlaffer, E. and Bernard, C.The survivors: some hypotheses on the significance of the loss of a spouse for the older women. Zeitschrift fur Gerontologie, 1978, 11, 90–97. Abstracted in Psychological Abstracts 61:1356.Google Scholar
Schonfield, D. “Who is stereotyping whom and why?” The Gerontologist, 22, 267–272.Google Scholar
Schooler, K. K.The effect of environment on morale. The Gerontologist, 1970, 10, 194–197.Google Scholar
Smith, K. J. and Lipman, A.Constraint and life satisfaction. Journal of Gerontology, 1972, 27, 77–82.Google Scholar
Soldo, B. J.America's elderly in the 1980's. Population Bulletin 35: 4, 1980.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. Occupied private dwellings by characteristics of the private household head. 1976 Census of Canada (Cat. No. 93–804). Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and Services, 1978a.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. Demographic characteristics: marital status by age groups. 1976 Census of Canada (Cat. No. 92–825). Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and Services, 1978b.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. Population: women ever married by number of children ever born. 1976 Census Canada (Cat. No. 92–718). Ottawa: Ministry of Supply and Services, 1978c.Google Scholar
Steele, M.The demand for housing in Canada. (Cat. No. 99–763). Ottawa; Ministry of Supply and Services, 1979.Google Scholar
Stone, L. O. and Fletcher, S.A profile of Canada's older population. Montreal: Institute for Research on Public Policy, 1980.Google Scholar
Teaff, J. D., Lawton, M. P., Nahemow, L. and Carlson, D.Impact of age integration on the well-being of elderly tenants. Journal of Gerontology. 1978, 33, 126–133.Google Scholar
Watson, J. A. and Kivett, V. R.Influences on the life satisfaction of older fathers. Family Coordinator, 1976, 25, 482–488.Google Scholar
Winiecke, L.The appeal of age-segregated housing to the elderly poor. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 1973, 4, 293–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wolk, S. and Telleen, S.Psychological and social correlates of life satisfaction as a function of residential constraint. Journal of Gerontology, 1976, 31, 89–98.Google Scholar
Zay, N.Living arrangements for the aged. Background paper presented for the Canadian Conference on Aging. Ottawa: Canadian Council on Social Development. 1965.Google Scholar