Single Older Women Research Articles

Intersectionality of gender and age (‘gender*age’): a critical realist approach to explaining older women’s increased homelessness

ABSTRACT Older single women in Australia are increasingly experiencing homelessness. Age and gender seem inherently related to single older women’s housing crises, but no attempt has been made to account for the causes of their homelessness through an intersectional lens. This article develops a complex and contingent causal explanation of the structures and mechanisms implicated in growing homelessness for this group. We demonstrate an original use of critical realist-informed intersectional analysis which is characterized by stratified social ontology and emergence. We theoretically reframe existing literature to demonstrate how the intersectional causal powers of gender and age (‘gender*age’) discrimination and conventional life course experiences intersect to generate financial precarity for older women. Our causal model explains how economic insecurity, structural and individual contexts, and crisis events interact, challenging older women’s housing security and precipitating first-time homelessness later in life.

Gender, union formation, and assortative mating among older women

This paper presents a search-theoretic model of union formation among women, aged 55 and older. Specifically, it provides new estimates of gender differentials in cohabitation and marriage at older ages, and documents recent patterns of assortative mating using data from the 2008–2017 American Community Survey. Our analyses reveal that cohabitation represents a much smaller share of all older unmarried women, all partnered women, and all women in comparison to patterns observed among their male counterparts. The results also reveal highly uneven patterns of union formation by age, race and marital history, which reflect demographically uneven constraints and preferences. Our analyses also document, for the first time, patterns of assortative mating at older ages. Shortages of similarly-aged men, especially among older African American women, seemingly heighten the likelihood of demographically mismatched unions. Older women are less likely to form unions with same-race or economically attractive partners, defined as men having a college-degree. This study shows that older single women, in general, are at a comparative disadvantage in the marriage market, both in forming co-residential unions and in finding partners who match their own social, demographic, and economic profiles. This paper highlights considerable heterogeneity in the experiences of America's older women. It calls for new theoretical approaches that acknowledge the unequal resources and bargaining power among older women in the marriage market.

Performing the ‘good tenant’

Renters in homeowner societies like Australia, the United States and United Kingdom occupy a complex moral landscape, maligned for failure to achieve homeownership but pivotal to the value of investment properties. Identification of ‘good’ and ‘risky’ tenants is an important landlord practice. We investigate how tenants conceptualise and perform the ‘good tenant’ through research with 36 single older women renting in greater Sydney, Australia: a cohort on the margins of secure housing. The good tenant demonstrates responsibility through paying rent on time and property stewardship (reporting repairs, making home). However, these practices are made necessary and risky through limited tenure security. The emotional and financial risks attending performances of the good tenant drive paradoxical relations; a good tenant is also acquiescent and silent, not reporting property repairs or lapsed leases to avoid rent increases and/or evictions. Variegated performances of the ‘good tenant’ reflect cultural property norms and valorize the investment function of housing yet could also productively unsettle tenant-landlord relations.

Cardiovascular Risk Factor Knowledge and Behaviors Among Low-Income Urban Women in Mysore, India.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death among women globally. Cardiovascular disease-related events are more common in older women compared with men and are more likely to result in death. Although research in high-income countries suggests that women have unique sociobiological CVD risk factors, only a few study authors have examined risk factor knowledge among women from low- and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to assess CVD risk factor knowledge among low-income urban Indian women. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a nonprobability sample of 607 slum-dwelling women, 40 to 64 years old, living in Mysore, India, between October 2017 and May 2018. Participants underwent an interviewer-administered questionnaire measuring demographics, CVD risk factor knowledge, and medical history. Cardiovascular disease risk factor knowledge was low in this population and was associated with age, education, income, and caste. Approximately half of the participants (47%) answered less than 50% of the questions correctly, and a third had knowledge scores greater than 70%, which we defined as "good knowledge." Only 4 of 7 traditional CVD risk factors (ie, physical activity, smoking, overweight, and high cholesterol) were recognized by greater than half of the participants. The lowest knowledge levels were among older single women with no education and monthly household incomes less than Rs 3000 (approximately US $42). Previous research among slum dwellers in India reported a high prevalence of modifiable CVD risk factors compared with more affluent urban peers. Interventions aimed at CVD risk factor knowledge may be an important first step in controlling heart disease in this vulnerable population.

What women want: single older women and their housing preferences

It is increasingly recognized in Australia that single, older women are particularly vulnerable to housing-related stress and homelessness. This paper reports on a qualitative study that explored the housing experiences of single, older, non-homeowning women in regional New South Wales, Australia. Interviews were conducted with 47 participants living independently in precarious housing. This paper focuses upon the housing preferences expressed by the participants. A feminist standpoint perspective was adopted and thematic analysis was employed to interrogate the data. Findings showed the women’s primary preference is security of tenure in housing that is affordable and suited to their needs. Further, they want to feel they have autonomy in the private sphere. Over the participants’ life course, twin discourses of patriarchy and neoliberalism were identified as influential in shaping social arrangements, both in Australia and other developed countries. These findings may assist policy-makers in planning future housing for this ageing cohort.

Romantic Forecasts in Later Life: Older Single Women’s Perspectives on Family and Kin Relationships

This study examines the ways in which family and cultural context influence the romantic prospects of rural women in later life. Using a feminist life course perspective, we interviewed 14 single women over the age of 50 years who lived in rural Appalachia. Grounded theory methods were used to analyze in-depth interview data. Contextualized romantic forecasts of midlife and older rural women are presented. We found that women who were highly integrated into an extended family network, typically their own family of origin, had little if any interest in romance in later life. Women who were not highly integrated into a kin network were most hopeful about finding a romantic or marriage partner. We conclude that place-based kin networks mattered in the romantic forecasts of midlife and older single women, and discuss implications for future research.

“Granny” au pairs in online French news media: a crueller shade of optimism?

This article examines the French media representation of low-cost live-in “granny” au pairing services available to French families in France and abroad. It argues that the French news broadcast media repackage “granny” au pairing as positive ageing while underplaying its status as work. The media not only gloss over the low (or no) payment these older single women receive, but also sidestep the precarious economic conditions which motivate them to undertake this work. Instead of portraying au pairs as underpaid workers, it promotes au pairing as “good-life fantasies” and au pairs as active agers. “Granny” au pairs are framed as glamorous, adventurous tourists, or as devoted super grannies. Following Lauren Berlant’s notion of “cruel optimism,” I argue that the media promote these fantasies despite the lack of evidence of reciprocity in the au pairs’ surrogate family relations and working arrangements. There is a sense of cruel optimism in the way these fantasies deny the reality of au pairing as work, assume that older citizens should find private solutions for inadequate pensions, and reinforce the idea that constant activity is what is required of older single women.

Determinants of Singlehood: a retrospective account by older single women in Lagos, Nigeria

Although the population of older never married women in Nigeria is increasing considerably, negligible attention has been paid to this emerging social reality. This paper examined the determinants of singlehood from the life experience of never married women. Aspects of Giddens’ Structuration theory provided theoretical framework for the study. Empirical Data were drawn from twenty-seven In-depth Interviews, two Life Histories, and seven Focus Group Discussions conducted between 2010 and 2011 in Lagos, Nigeria with involuntary and childless never married women aged 30 and above. The major determinants of singlehood among them were drive for economic empowerment and financial independence, personal mate selection preference, marital experience of other women, cultural beliefs and practices, family background factors, and higher education. Increasing singlehood among women threatens Nigeria’s traditional nuptiality pattern of early and universal marriage and could become one of the most important components of demographic transition in 21st century Lagos.

The Lived Experience of Pregnancy Complications in Single Older Women

To explore the lived experience of single older women (35 years or older at time of birth) who experienced complications in their planned pregnancy. Phenomenology, using semistructured interviews with 11 women between the ages of 35 to 48 years. Six themes emerged: (a) motherhood now or never, (b) the known and unknown, (c) importance of support, (d) the stigma of single motherhood, (e) changing priorities, and (f) long-term concerns for themselves and child/children. Nurses who work with pregnant women should understand as much as possible about the issues affecting older single women who choose pregnancy; this offers the best opportunity to provide comprehensive care. These women can be at increased risk for many pregnancy complications, and should receive counseling about their risks for both fetal and maternal complications. Nurses should also conduct a thorough psychosocial assessment to determine what support systems are in place and what resources are available if complications arise. In the intrapartum and postpartum settings, nurses can offer not only appropriate physical caregiving but also a supportive and caring attitude with women in this circumstance. Helping women maintain a sense of control by helping them to participate in their care planning is essential.

How Will Declining Rates of Marriage Reshape Eligibility for Social Security?

For most older people in the United States, Social Security is the major source of income: nine out of ten people age 65 or older receive benefits, which represent an average of 41 percent of their income. Largely as a result of Social Security, poverty rates for the elderly are at an all-time low, just 10 percent. But pockets of poverty persist: older unmarried persons, blacks, and Hispanics experience poverty rates in excess of 20 percent, and over 40 percent of all older single black women live in poverty. People quality for Social Security based either on their work record or their marital status. Most older women receive noncontributory Social Security spouse of widow benefits on the basis of their marital history. For these women, marital status is more important than employment status in shaping old-age financial security. However, the trend to marry and stay married has declined over time in the United States, particularly among black women. This, we hypothesize, means that fewer women will qualify for spouse and widow benefits in coming decades. As a result, Social Security benefits will shrink among the very population that currently reports higher poverty rates, older single women, particularly black women. In this policy brief, we ask: Compared to earlier cohorts, what proportion of white, black, and Hispanic women born in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s will enter old age without a marriage that qualifies them for Social Security spouse and widow benefits? We find that the proportion who will reach age 62 without a qualifying marriage, and thus be ineligible for Social Security spouse and widow benefits, is increasing modestly for whites and Hispanics but dramatically for African Americans. Most of these women will be eligible for retired worker benefits under Social Security, but those benefits are not likely to be as large as the benefits they would have received as spouses and widows, had they been eligible. We then discuss a range of policy alternatives, including the possibility of a minimum benefit.

National estimates of the rise in serial cohabitation

This paper provides new estimates of changing patterns of serial cohabitation, using data from the 1995 and 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. Serial cohabitation is defined as having multiple premarital cohabiting relationships. Analyses indicate that rates of serial cohabitation increased by nearly 40 percent over the late 1990s and early 2000s, and rates were especially high among young adults and recent marriage cohorts. A large majority of women – 75 percent – nevertheless lived only with men they eventually married. Although rates of serial cohabitation are higher among never-married women than ever-married women, there is little indication that single women – even older single women – have embraced serial cohabitation as an alternative to marriage or even as an intensive kind of dating. The results show that serial cohabitation is heavily concentrated among disadvantaged populations (e.g., women who grew up in single parent families). Early sexual activity and teen childbearing are especially important “risk” factors for serial cohabitation in the never-married population. There is little evidence, however, that recent shifts in the sociodemographic risk profile of the US population have been responsible for observed increases in single-instance or serial cohabitation. Increases in serial cohabitation have been broadly experienced across population groups in America.

Older Women and Poverty Transition

Older single women are disproportionately vulnerable to poverty. Using data from the 2002 and 2004 waves of the Health and Retirement Study of 5,799 women age 65 or older, this study investigated the effect of change in income sources by recent spousal loss on poverty transition. The focus is on (a) the effect of widowhood on income source change and (b) how such change affects poverty transition of recently widowed older women. Findings indicate that widowhood greatly decreases income from every source. Specifically, a $10 increase in social security benefits decreased the probability of poverty transition for recently widowed older women by 67.2%. These findings call for reconsidering social security survivor benefit rules and women's education with regard to financial security in retirement.

Single Older Women Who Applied for the Giving Life More LUSTRE Course: Are They the Target Group That Was Aimed for?

The present study investigated whether the women who applied for the self-management of well-being course Giving life more LUSTRE can be considered the target group that was intended. By comparing the course applicants with a random sample of community dwelling single women, it was found that, as expected, course applicants scored worse on well-being, loneliness, and negative affect, but not on positive affect, nor on self-management ability. It is concluded that the target group was reached only partly and that—even though the course has shown to be effective—a more specific recruitment procedure may further enhance its effectiveness.

Accounting for Single Status: Heterosexism and Ageism in Heterosexual Women's Talk about Marriage

Interviews are reported in which heterosexual women construct unmarried status as a temporary stage, preparatory to marriage, or the consequence of failure to maintain heterosexual relationships. Remaining single in later life is constructed as a threat, and older single women are constructed as lonely and isolated. Women construct themselves as responsible for the ending of past relationships, and report having been held to account in this way by significant others. It is argued that these accounts reflect the discourses of heterosexual romantic quest, and the gendered division of emotional labour in marriage. Participants' accounts are characterized by heterosexism and ageism, and the authors discuss issues of collusion with these in the collection of data.

Australia Remembers as Veterans Forget: the Care of Veterans with Dementia

Comparisons between veterans and non‐veterans in a sample of 243 older Australians with dementia show that veterans are more likely to be older men being cared for at home by older frail spouses, or are single older women who are those most likely to be institutionalised. Care needs for veterans are shifting from meeting medical needs of a male population to providing support to older female carers and older frail women with no partner.

The attitudes, aspirations and career orientations of women in Junior Management

This study profiled the orientations and attitudes to work of a grade cohort of women in junior management in a large public sector organization in Northern Ireland. Specific personality dimensions included sex-role orientation, role conflict and self-esteem, and work attitudes explored were those relating primarily to career and promotion issues. 223 subjects, each at the same junior management grade, comprised the sample for a postal questionnaire survey. The findings indicated that the most ambitious and successful women were often sex-typed in the masculine direction and these women also enjoyed significantly higher levels of self-esteem. Age and marital status also emerged as significant interacting factors, with many older single women and younger women with families making conscious decisions not to seek advancement within the organization. Profiles of successful women managers are discussed in the context of changing expectations and experiences in the 1990s, and the traditional literature describ...

Racial Differences in the Determinants of Living Arrangements of Widowed and Divorced Elderly Women

Ability to afford single, separate households has been perceived as the key determinant of living alone among single older women. This paper shows that, when race is analyzed separately, family-related variables such as marital history and the number of children raised, rather than economic affordability, are the most important factors in the living arrangement decision of widowed elderly women of color. Economic affordability also turns out to be insignificant when white and nonwhite divorced elderly women are analyzed separately.

Autonomy and Decision Making Between Single Older Women and Their Caregiving Daughters

We examined perceptions of decisional autonomy and decision-making processes among 64 elderly, single mothers and their caregiving daughters. Mothers were highly involved in decisions affecting their lives, ranging from daily care to major health decisions; daughters were particularly influential over major health, financial and housing decisions. Mothers' level of personal care dependency was negatively associated with both mothers' and daughters' confidence in the mothers' decision-making abilities.

The Spinster Stereotype: A Demographic Refutation?

Data on Australia's older single women are assembled into a demographic profile to question the legitimacy of the prevailing negative spinster stereotype and to make comparisons with US trends in the status of single women'. The socioeconomic status (SES) of single and married women in Melbourne is analysed and it is subsequently argued that high SES single women have satisfying careers which may provide them with a stable source of identity, but some lower SES single women lack this source and may assume the spinster identity as the only clearly defined role available to them.

Married is Better: Attitudes toward Single Persons as a Function of Their Age

In a study of attitudes toward older single people subjects were given a brief description of a target person which varied that character's marital status (single or married), age (25 or 35 yr.), and sex, and were asked to rate the character on a variety of evaluative dimensions. As hypothesized, the older single person was evaluated less positively on social dimensions than the younger single person or the married person of either age. However, no interaction between marital status and age occurred on professional dimensions. Further, contrary to hypothesis, older single women were not evaluated more negatively than older single men. The disparity in results between the social and professional dimensions is discussed.