Is living alone beneficial to older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic? Examining associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction by gender in Korea

Abstract

Objectives This study examines associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction and the associated effects of gender among Korean older adults during the pandemic. Method Data were drawn from the 2020 National Survey of Older Koreans—a nationally representative survey. Living arrangements were categorized into four groups: living alone; living with spouse only; living with family and spouse; and living with family without spouse. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between living arrangements and life satisfaction measured as a binary outcome. Results Older adults living alone were more likely to be satisfied with life compared with those who lived with a spouse only. However, living alone became nonsignificant after controlling for social contact with friends or neighbors and social participation. Interestingly, there was a significant interaction between living arrangements and gender, showing that living alone was beneficial to older women but not to men. Subsample analysis by gender confirmed that older women living alone had a greater likelihood of being satisfied with life than those living with a spouse only, whereas men living alone had lower life satisfaction. Conclusion Findings suggest that living alone is not always deleterious to older adults, particularly women. During the pandemic, older Korean women living with their spouse and/or family might be less satisfied with life due to the dual burden of family care and housework, associated with traditional gendered norms and social context.