Abstract
BackgroundOldest-old people are expected to be particularly likely to experience loneliness due to the loss of their intimate partner or of same-aged social network members. It is assumed that individuals in different living arrangements maintain different kinds of social networks because they adjust their networks to their specific needs. However, not much is known about the variation in the social networks of the oldest-old depending on their living arrangements and how this variation is related to loneliness. This is the first study that seeks to fill this research gap by examining how the composition and the size of a social network varies among the oldest-old depending on their living arrangements with a partner (coresidential partnership, living apart together (LAT) partnership, no partnership), and how this variation contributes to explain loneliness among the oldest-old.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from the representative survey NRW80+ (Quality of Life and Well-Being of the Very Old in North-Rhine Westphalia). The sample of analysis used in this study consists of 1860 respondents from the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia aged 80 years and older. Associations between social network characteristics and living arrangements were tested using χ2-tests and one-way ANOVA. Ordered logit models were used to explain loneliness.ResultsRespondents in a coresidential partnership maintained larger social networks than those in an LAT partnership and those with no intimate partner. Furthermore, the respondents with no partner maintained more diverse social networks. Compared to those in the other living arrangements, the respondents in an LAT partnership maintained the smallest and least diverse social networks. Being in a coresidential partnership and the social network size were found to be negatively associated with loneliness.ConclusionFirst, the results indicate that respondents who do not have a partner adjusted their social networks to meet their needs in the absence of this relationship. Second, we conclude that being in a coresidential partnership and having a large social network protects the oldest-old against loneliness.Supplementary InformationThe online version of this article (10.1007/s00391-021-01960-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Social relationships are crucial for the wellbeing of the very old
The results show that the respondents who were in a coresidential partnership maintained larger social networks than the respondents who had no partner, and that the respondents who were in an living apart together (LAT) partnership had the smallest networks
This study has provided an overview of the living arrangements and social networks among the oldest old population in the most-populated state of Germany, and their associations with loneliness
Summary
Social relationships are crucial for the wellbeing of the very old. Two sociological concepts are essential to describe the structures of social relationships: social networks and living arrangements. Oldest-old people are expected to be likely to experience loneliness due to the loss of their intimate partner or of same-aged social network members. Not much is known about the variation in the social networks of the oldest-old depending on their living arrangements and how this variation is related to loneliness. Results: Respondents in a coresidential partnership maintained larger social networks than those in an LAT partnership and those with no intimate partner. The respondents with no partner maintained more diverse social networks Compared to those in the other living arrangements, the respondents in an LAT partnership maintained the smallest and least diverse social networks. We conclude that being in a coresidential partnership and having a large social network protects the oldest-old against loneliness
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