Living Arrangements Research Articles

Mongolian Pastoralist Parents’ Experiences in Managing Their Primary School Children’s Living Arrangements

Sending children, especially six-year-old ones, to school put pressure on pastoralist or herder households to balance their livestock herding needs and their children’s schooling needs at the same time. Due to remote campsites located in isolated rural areas far from any schools, pastoralists need to arrange a place for their children to stay during the school year. In this interpretive phenomenological study, we explored pastoralist parents’ experiences in managing different living arrangements for their primary school children during the school year. We conducted semi-structured interviews with five pastoralist parents from a remote county (an administrative division under a province) in Mongolia. Living arrangement options included staying in a boarding school dormitory, staying at a relative’s place, and staying with mothers in split households. The pastoralist parents’ own school experiences, the presence of first-grade school children, boarding school conditions, and family resources were found to be important factors for deciding the best living arrangement. We recommend that the government agencies should work on improving conditions of school dormitories and on providing better educational opportunities for pastoralists and their children.

Gender differences in the subjective wellbeing of the older adults and the determinant factors: a case study of Nanjing.

This paper aims to examine the gendered differences in the subjective wellbeing of older adults and underlying determinant factors which contribute to these differences in China where the unique social and cultural systems, the consequent concept of filial piety and the perceptions towards different living arrangements in later life provide an excellent laboratory for studying the topic. Hierarchical linear models are employed to analyze the impacts of household structure and built environment on the subjective wellbeing of older adults based on a survey conducted in Nanjing in 2021. There are significant gender differences in the subjective wellbeing of older adults, with older women reporting higher levels of subjective wellbeing (4.95 vs.4.69). Gender differences also exist in how the built environment affects the subjective wellbeing of older adults, with a greater impact on older adult women (33.68% vs. 28.50%). Household structure impacts the subjective wellbeing of older adults through the division of housework and the company of family members. There are three major mechanisms through which gender affects the subjective wellbeing of older adults, including structural mechanisms, socio-cultural mechanisms, and physiological mechanisms. Targeted environmental interventions and urban planning policies are recommended to promote the subjective wellbeing of older adults.

“We never lived together either”: Couples' housing (re-) arrangements in later life

Social gerontology mainly addresses couples' housing arrangements in later life by focusing on partner's care, related adaptations in place, and changing role expectations within the couple relationship. Thereby, the resulting image does not fully represent today's diversity of couples' housing arrangements.This article considers housing arrangement and relationship orientation of older couples as entangled in social practice, providing a broader perspective on the diversity and dynamics of couples living arrangements in later life.In a qualitative study, we conducted joint in-depth interviews with ten couples from Germany aged 58 to 88 years. Couples talked about their shared biography and living together today. Data were merged with fieldnotes on housing constellations and analyzed following the documentary method.Couples co-constitute living together by using space in different ways. We found three relationship orientations of couples corresponding to practices of couples' housing arrangements: balancing physical and emotional presence by negotiating shared space, exploring presence by having a third common place, and reducing presence by separate housing. These orientation types which are linked with spatial (re-) arrangements reveal positioning to housing preferences in past relationships and point to societal concepts of coupledom as regards housing in later life. Space gives options for both being apart from and feeling close to the partner, partially at the same time.Diversity and dynamics of housing arrangements correspond to diversified and altering relationship orientations in later life. Considering couples' housing arrangements in later life as mutually constitutive broadens the options to examine the meaning of space in aging together. Moreover, this perspective can be combined with a critical approach towards stereotypical (hetero-) normative biases in research.

“Excess” Doubling Up During COVID: Changes in Children's Shared Living Arrangements

The proportion of U.S. children living in doubled-up households, in which a child lives with a parent plus adult kin or nonkin, has increased in the last 40 years. Although shared living arrangements are often understood as a strategy to cope with crises, no research to date has examined changes in children's living arrangements during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We use the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey to examine children's doubled-up living arrangements during 2020 and the extent to which children may have experienced “excess” doubling up relative to earlier years. We consider trends by household type (multigenerational, extended with other relatives, and nonrelative households) and differences by demographic characteristics (marital status, race and ethnicity, work status, education, age, and number of coresident children). We find evidence that more than half a million (509,600) children experienced “excess” doubling up in 2020. Greater than expected increases in doubled-up arrangements were driven by increases in multigenerational households, in particular among Black and Hispanic children, young children (under age six), those whose mothers never married, and those whose mothers were not working. Correlates of coresidence remained largely unchanged over time, although having a mother who had never married became a stronger correlate in 2020. Our findings suggest that both economic and instrumental needs likely explained the rise in multigenerational coresidence in 2020.

Do living arrangements and health behaviors associate with anxiety symptoms among Chinese older people? Differences between urban and rural areas

ABSTRACT Living arrangements and health behaviors are considered to be associated with mental health, but their relationship has been less investigated by national survey data in China. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship of living arrangements and health behaviors with anxiety among Chinese older people and to compare the results between urban and rural areas. The study was based on the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey conducted in 2018, and a total of 12 726 old-aged respondents were included. Ordinal logistic regression was used to analyze the associations between living arrangements, health behaviors and anxiety. This study found that people living in nursing institutions are likely to be more anxious than their dwelling counterparts. Although we found no significant relationships of health behaviors such as smoking, drinking alcohol and exercise with anxiety, older adults with greater dietary diversity were less likely to experience anxiety. Furthermore, different trends between living arrangements and anxiety, smoking and anxiety were also found among urban versus rural respondents. The findings of this study help to better understand anxiety among Chinese older people and shed light on health policy on older people protection and services.

Perceptions of Caregiver Burden and Living Arrangements of Adult Children With Autism

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the living arrangements of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) contribute to caregiver burden. The sample included 320 aging parents of adult children with ASD who were living in their parents’ homes, independently, independently with assistance, or residential group homes. Aging parents completed a survey measuring four types of caregiver burden (time dependence, developmental, emotional, and financial). Kruskal–Wallis analysis of variance was used to determine whether differences in caregiver burden by the living arrangements of adult children with autism were significant. Aging parents whose adult children lived in group homes tended to have the greatest caregiver burden, while those whose adult children lived independently had the least caregiver burden. Social workers can provide support for parents, adults with ASD, and the family unit as they explore the benefits and challenges of different living arrangements.

Living Arrangements of Iranian Older Adults and Its Socio-demographic Correlates

Objectives In the context of family changes and population aging, changing the pattern of life arrangements of older adults has become a social and policy issue. In this regard, this article aims to investigate the patterns of living arrangements of older adults and its socio-demographic correlates. Methods & Materials A secondary analysis of micro-census data for 2006 and 2016 was used. The study population include people aged 60 and over living in households. Multinomial logistic regression tests and SPSS26 were used to data analysis. Results Living with a spouse and children is the dominant form of living arrangements for older adults in Iran. However, the share of this pattern has been almost stable in the decade 2006-2016, and in contrast, the share of older adults living alone has increased from 12% to 15%. The results indicated a significant gender difference in the pattern of living alone and its prevalence in elderly women (24.1%) was four times higher for older than older men (5.6%). Also, the results showed that with increasing age, the probability of living alone increases and with increasing the level of education of the older adults, the probability of living alone decreases. In addition, rural older adults are more likely to live alone than urban older adults. Conclusion Although living with a spouse and children is still the dominant pattern, the living alone of older adults is increasing. Women are more likely to live alone than older men and face more problems. Therefore, paying attention to the issues and problems of the alone elderly women should be the headline of the country’s welfare programs and policies. In addition, by creating employment in rural areas, it is possible to prevent the migration of young people to the city to some extent and reduce the possibility of living alone among rural older adults.

Repressed Utopias vs. Utopian Repressions: Czech Countercultural Communal Living Arrangements in the ‘Normalization’ Era (1970–1989)

The present contribution aims to examine this specific historic ‘Second World’ phenomenon — the communal living arrangements attempted by counterculturally minded, predominantly working-class youth in post-1968 Czechoslovakia, often (though not exclusively) in the former German Sudetenland — as an instance of the potentials and limitations associated with an attempt at a ‘mobile commons’ in 20th-century state socialism. Not only is the legacy of the Czech communes (baráky) an insufficiently researched historical topic, but even further, the placement of this phenomenon between its reflection of the American communal-utopian tradition in its 1960s forms, the emerging critique of industrial modernity, the growth of 20th-century ‘civil-society’ concepts, and the ‘Cold War’ mobilities across the Iron Curtain (intellectual-cultural autarky versus forced political emigration) forms a highly fruitful starting point for wider considerations. Examination of the Czech countercultural communal-living attempts within the social framework of the ‘normalization’ order of the 1970s and 1980s — state repression, socialist modernity, anti-public familialism — finds that their character as communities of refuge, rather than as deliberate planned experiments, places them at a particularly unique angle to the utopian vs. antiutopian debates, indeed even calling into question the very premises of this opposition.

The Myriad Living Arrangements of U.S. Single Men and Women in Midlife.

Attention to the living arrangements of singles has centered around young adults who increasingly reside with their parents. By comparison, midlife singles remain overlooked despite a substantial rise in singlehood during this life-course stage. Using the 2021 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the authors uncovered the disparate living arrangements of midlife single men and women household heads, defining midlife as those aged 30 to 49 and single as those who were neither cohabiting nor married. The findings revealed that the living arrangements of men and women were near inverses of each other, with most men living alone, whereas most women lived with someone else. Relative to men, a far greater share of women were residing with their children, whereas a larger share of men were in arrangements that did not include children. The distinctive living arrangements speak to the potential differences in familial obligations and available support sources.

The relationship between living arrangements and depression among older adults in Shandong, China: The mediating role of social support.

Living arrangements and social support have an impact on depression among older adults. However, the underlying mechanism between those variables remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the mediating role of social support in the relationship between living arrangements and depression among older adults. Multi-stage stratified sampling method was used to select 3,859 older adults from Taian City, Shandong Province, China, for cross-sectional investigation. Living arrangements were measured by a question. Social support and depression were measured using the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between living arrangements and depression and the possible influence of social support on the relationship between living arrangements and depression. Statistics showed that 15.08% of older adults lived alone. After controlling for covariates, living arrangements (ß = 0.45, t = 2.87, P < 0.01) and social support (ß =-0.08, t =-16.93, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with depression. The linear regression model showed that social support mediated the relationship between living arrangements and depression, and the mediating effect accounted for 18.20% of the total effect. This study revealed that living arrangements played an essential role in indirectly predicting depression in older adults through social support. This provided evidence for how to reduce depression in older adults.

The Earned Income Tax Credit, Family Complexity, and Children’s Living Arrangements

Demographic shifts over the last half-century have resulted in dramatic changes in family structure. These changes have implications for the social safety net because public assistance programs define families differently. This article focuses on a critical poverty-alleviation policy, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), to document family complexity in the United States. We find that more than 60 percent of children in lower-income families reside in households with ambiguity in tax filing and thus in claiming valuable credits. Tax filing ambiguity driven by family complexity is especially common among households with Black children, highlighting significant racial inequities in the tax treatment of complex families. We also consider two reforms to reflect the realities of families today: the childless EITC and a noncustodial parent EITC.

Accommodating adults with intellectual disabilities and high support needs in Individual Supported Living arrangements

This research investigated Individual Supported Living (ISL) arrangements for persons with intellectual disabilities and high support needs. ISL arrangements have been developed to provide appropriate and preferred homes for individuals with intellectual disabilities, including persons with high and very high support needs.

Living arrangements and satisfaction of current arrangement among autistic adults reported by autistic individuals or their caregivers.

Living arrangements is an essential component of the social environments for autistic adults. The need to understanding the status and experience of living arrangements has been highlighted. This study examined living arrangements and satisfaction with current arrangements of autistic adults reported by autistic adults or caregivers of autistic adults. This study used data from a statewide survey of autistic adults or caregivers. Older autistic adults and those employed and had higher financial resources were more likely to live alone or with a roommate or spouse than to live with family or in a supervised setting. Correlates of greater satisfaction included being young, either men or women (vs. non-binary adults), public insurance, fewer service needs, no or one mental health diagnosis (vs. two or more), no psychiatric emergency room or hospitalisation history, and living with a roommate or spouse (vs. living with family). This cross-sectional study adds to the literature on the status of living arrangements and satisfaction with living arrangements among autistic adults. Future research is needed to investigate contributing factors to the satisfaction of living arrangements and quality of life among autistic adults.

Experience of organizing foster families for elderly citizens in the subjects of the Russian Federation

The article discusses a special and effective form of living arrangements for the elderly and disabled in a foster family in the regional entities of the Russian Federation. The experience of organizing a foster or substitute family has been developed in a number of European countries and the USA. It has been established that this technology provides an elderly person with the necessary care and living conditions, leisure activities, psychological support, and additional material support for a foster family. The development of the institution of a foster family for the elderly as an innovative form of their life arrangement will significantly improve the quality of life of older citizens, change their “social well-being”, save them from the problem of loneliness, and strengthen the connection between generations. To solve the problems of the elderly in 2004, the project “Foster families for the elderly and disabled” was launched. The mission of this project is to organize public support, help with household chores and psychological support for lonely people. Most of the regions of the Russian Federation supported the initiative of the project and the subjects have their own experience in implementing the Foster Families for Senior Citizens project. Each subject of the Russian Federation has its own characteristics and differences in the creation of foster families for the elderly, which is associated with the presence of its own legislative framework for the implementation of this project.

The association between midlife living arrangement and psychiatrist-diagnosed depression in later life: who among your family members reduces the risk of depression?

This study investigates the longitudinal association between living arrangements and psychiatrists’ diagnosis of depression in the general population. In 1990, 1254 Japanese men and women aged 40–59 years were enroled and completed questionnaires on the living arrangement in the Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study (JPHC Study) and participated in a mental health screening (2014–2015). The study diagnosed a major depressive disorder (MDD) assessed by well-trained certified psychiatrists through medical examinations. During the follow-up, a total of 105 participants (36 men and 69 women) aged 64–84 years were diagnosed with MDD by psychiatrists. Living with a child (ren) was associated with a reduced risk of MDD for men but not for women; the respective multivariable ORs (95% CIs) were 0.42 (0.19–0.96) and 0.59 (0.32–1.09). These associations remained unchanged after adjusting for living with spouse and parent(s). In conclusion, living with a child (ren) was associated with a reduced risk of MDD in men, suggesting the role of a child (ren) in the prevention of MDD.

Glimpses on Emerging Alternative Living and Care Arrangements for Elderly People in Nepal

This paper explores emerging alternative living and care arrangements for elderly people beyond the family, in Nepal. Family-based care and support for the old in Nepal are no longer guaranteed. Elderly people are abandoned or neglected mainly due to massive outmigration of the young and demographic change. As are sult, demand for place in old age homes and care centers is rapidly increasing. Exploratory visits at six different institutions, expert interviews and informal conversations with elderly residents and their relatives offered a first-hand insight into these institutions. Equipped with only the most basic facilities, lack of trained personnel, and major financial reliance on donations, old age homes that receive mainly destitute people, are overstretched and have long waiting lists. This exploratory study concludes that emerging alternative elderly living and care arrangements are much needed in Nepal and that the current facilities are rudimentary. However, the negative picture of old age homes painted by the public media is inaccurate. The study found that elderly people and close relatives are grateful for new options. The increase in the number of such institutions indicates a transformation in attitudes towards intergenerational relations and elderly support options beyond the traditional extended family.

Learning climate in long‐term care facilities for people with dementia

AbstractBackgroundTo allow learning processes within an organization, the presence of a facilitating and safe "learning climate" is of utmost importance. We studied which preconditions contribute to a facilitating and safe learning climate in long‐term care facilities for people with dementia. Furthermore, we studied the effect of a facilitating and safe learning climate on job satisfaction, person‐centred care and emotional exhaustion experienced by care staff.MethodData were collected among long‐term care facilities which participated in the fifth round of the Dutch Living Arrangements for people with Dementia (LAD)‐study. Care staff, supervisors and practitioners completed an online questionnaire which included two subscales of the Learning Climate Scale (facilitation and safety) and four subscales of the Learning Potential of the Workplace Scale (learning through reflection; through experimentation; from colleagues; from supervisor). We performed hierarchical linear modelling.ResultParticipants from 58 long‐term care facilities completed the questionnaire. Preconditions that significantly contribute to a facilitating learning climate include development opportunities, successful leadership characteristics, and small care teams. Preconditions that significantly contribute to a safe learning climate include social support from colleagues and supervisors, a high degree of emotional support, and being part of a self‐steering team. Both a more facilitating learning climate and a safer learning climate contribute to more job satisfaction, person‐centred care, and less emotional exhaustion experienced by care staff. Studying different ways of learning, we found that learning through reflection and learning from colleagues and supervisors contribute to more job satisfaction and person‐centred care, while learning through experimentation and learning from colleagues is associated with less emotional exhaustion.ConclusionA facilitating and safe learning climate has several positive effects on care staff and person‐centred care. Therefore, long‐term care organizations should offer sufficient development opportunities and training. Furthermore, this study provides insight in how organizations can learn. Care staff should be given the opportunity to discuss their mistakes without being ashamed, in order to allow further development.

Is There an Association Between Change in Old-Age Living Arrangements and Older Adults' Psychological Health and Subjective Well-Being in India? Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study

Is There an Association Between Change in Old-Age Living Arrangements and Older Adults' Psychological Health and Subjective Well-Being in India? Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study

The Effects of Social Activities and Living Arrangements on Cognitive Functions in Middle-aged and Elderly Adults: A Panel Study Using the 2006-2018 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging.

ObjectivesPrevious studies have shown that participation in social activities (SA) can prevent cognitive decline (CD) and that living arrangements (LA) can affect cognitive function. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of SA and LA on CD, as well as their interactions, using longitudinal data.MethodsData were used from the 2006-2018 Korean Longitudinal Study for Aging, which followed 10 254 adults older than 45 years over a 12-year period. CD was defined as a ≥4-point score decrease in the Mini-Mental Status Exam over 2 years. We developed an extended Cox proportional hazards model for time-dependent covariates to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of CD in 4 groups: (1) socially active and living with others, (2) socially active and living alone, (3) socially inactive and living with others (SILO), and (4) socially inactive and living alone (SILA). The model was stratified by gender and adjusted for important confounders.ResultsThe HR of CD was significantly higher in the SILO group in men (HR,1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08 to 1.78) and in the SILA group in women (HR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.75). However, the interaction term for gender was not significant.ConclusionsAmong socially inactive elderly adults, the HR of CD was elevated in men who lived with others and in women who lived alone, although the interaction term for gender was not significant. Socially inactive men who live with others and socially inactive women who live alone are particularly encouraged to participate in SA to prevent CD.

Parental Incarceration and Children’s Living Arrangements in the United States

Parental Incarceration and Children’s Living Arrangements in the United States