Is Living Alone "Aging Alone"? Solitary Living, Network Types, and Well-Being

被引:96
作者
Djundeva, Maja [1 ]
Dykstra, Pearl A. [1 ]
Fokkema, Tineke [1 ,2 ]
机构
[1] Erasmus Univ, Erasmus Sch Social & Behav Sci, Dept Publ Adm & Sociol, NL-3062 PA Rotterdam, Netherlands
[2] Univ Groningen, Netherlands Interdisciplinary Demog Inst, The Hague, Netherlands
来源
JOURNALS OF GERONTOLOGY SERIES B-PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES | 2019年 / 74卷 / 08期
基金
欧洲研究理事会;
关键词
Cross-country comparative study; Depression; Diversity in aging; Health outcomes; Social networks; SOCIAL NETWORK; OLDER-PEOPLE; LATER LIFE; HEALTH; SUPPORT; LONELINESS; EUROPE; ADULTS; RISK; SATISFACTION;
D O I
10.1093/geronb/gby119
中图分类号
R592 [老年病学]; C [社会科学总论];
学科分类号
03 ; 0303 ; 100203 ;
摘要
Objectives When identifying older adults who may be at risk of being without necessary supports, policy makers and scholars tend to focus on those living alone, neglecting differences within that group. We examine how their social networks contribute to subjective well-being, why some of them fare better and compare their well-being to older adults coresiding with others. Method Data are from the fourth wave of the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe (N = 53,383). A network typology for older people living alone (N = 10,047) is constructed using a latent class analysis. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions, we examined differences in subjective well-being (life satisfaction, satisfaction with social network, depression) by network type, adding adults coresiding with others (N = 43,336) as comparison group. Results We find four social network types among older adults living alone. The likelihood of having "restricted" and "child-based" networks is greater in Eastern and Southern European countries, whereas the likelihood of having "friend-oriented" networks is greater in Western and Northern European countries. Across countries, only those with "restricted" networks tend to have the poorest well-being. Those with "diverse" networks have even better well-being than coresiding older adults. Discussion Our study shows the importance of drawing distinctions within the group of older adults living alone. Most (two thirds) are not vulnerable and at risk, but fare just as well or even better than peers who coreside with others. Country-level factors shape the opportunities to build satisfactory networks, but subjective well-being depends more strongly on individual resources, including social networks, than country-level factors.
引用
收藏
页码:1406 / 1415
页数:10
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