HOME ALONE: DETERMINANTS HOME ALONE: DETERMINANTS OF LIVING ALONE AMONG OLDER OF LIVING ALONE AMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTS IN CANADA AND IMMIGRANTS IN CANADA AND THE U.S.THE U.S.

SHARON M. LEESHARON M. LEE

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGYDEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

POPULATION RESEARCH POPULATION RESEARCH GROUPGROUP

UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIAUNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

IMPORTANT TO STUDY LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF IMPORTANT TO STUDY LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF ELDERLYELDERLY

RESIDENTIAL OPTIONS FOR OLDER PEOPLERESIDENTIAL OPTIONS FOR OLDER PEOPLE

INDEPENDENT LIVING ARRANGEMENTSINDEPENDENT LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

LIVING ALONE (IF NOT PARTNERED/MARRIED)LIVING ALONE (IF NOT PARTNERED/MARRIED)LIVING WITH PARTNER ONLY (IF PARTNERED)LIVING WITH PARTNER ONLY (IF PARTNERED)

RISE IN INDEPENDENT LIVING ARRANGEMENTS RISE IN INDEPENDENT LIVING ARRANGEMENTS AMONG ELDERLY IN MANY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING AMONG ELDERLY IN MANY COUNTRIES, INCLUDING CANADACANADA

MORE BACKGROUNDMORE BACKGROUND

GOING SOLOGOING SOLOMORE PEOPLE ARE LIVING ALONE MORE PEOPLE ARE LIVING ALONE

““SINGLETONS” (KLINENBERG, SINGLETONS” (KLINENBERG, 2012)2012)

AGING ALONEAGING ALONE

BUT WHAT ABOUT OLDER BUT WHAT ABOUT OLDER IMMIGRANTS?IMMIGRANTS?

RESEARCH QUESTIONSRESEARCH QUESTIONS

ARE OLDER IMMIGRANTS LESS ARE OLDER IMMIGRANTS LESS LIKELY TO LIVE ALONE, COMPARED LIKELY TO LIVE ALONE, COMPARED TO NATIVE-BORN ELDERLY?TO NATIVE-BORN ELDERLY?

WHAT ARE THE DETERMINANTS OF WHAT ARE THE DETERMINANTS OF LIVING ALONE AMONG OLDER LIVING ALONE AMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTS IN CANADA AND THE IMMIGRANTS IN CANADA AND THE U.S.?U.S.?

RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONSRESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS

NEGLECT OF OLDER IMMIGRANTS IN NEGLECT OF OLDER IMMIGRANTS IN PUBLIC FORUMS AND RESEARCH ON PUBLIC FORUMS AND RESEARCH ON AGINGAGING

HIGHLIGHT LIVING ALONE AS A HIGHLIGHT LIVING ALONE AS A FORM OF LIVING ARRANGEMENT FORM OF LIVING ARRANGEMENT AMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTSAMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTS

COMPARISON OF CANADA AND THE COMPARISON OF CANADA AND THE U.S.U.S.

WHY COMPARE CANADA AND WHY COMPARE CANADA AND THE U.S.?THE U.S.?

VALUE OF COMPARATIVE RESEARCHVALUE OF COMPARATIVE RESEARCH

THREE SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS:THREE SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS:

– IMMIGRATIONIMMIGRATION

– POPULATION AGINGPOPULATION AGING

– INCREASED ETHNIC AND RACIAL INCREASED ETHNIC AND RACIAL DIVERSITYDIVERSITY

DATA DATA

2006 CENSUS OF CANADA PUMF2006 CENSUS OF CANADA PUMF

2006 AMERICAN COMMUNITY 2006 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY (ACS) PUMSSURVEY (ACS) PUMS

NON-MARRIED ADULTS, AGED 55 NON-MARRIED ADULTS, AGED 55 AND OLDERAND OLDER

SAMPLE SIZES: SAMPLE SIZES: NON-MARRIED, 55 AND OLDERNON-MARRIED, 55 AND OLDER

CanadaCanada U.S.U.S.

CanadianCanadian-born-born

ForeignForeign-born-born

U.S.-bornU.S.-born Foreign-Foreign-bornborn

UnweighteUnweighted Sample d Sample SizeSize

50,05450,054 17,89417,894 273,185273,185 27,57327,573

Weighted Weighted Sample Sample SizeSize

1,851,991,851,9988

662,078662,078 24,721,3224,721,3299

3,100,073,100,0733

VARIABLES VARIABLES

BINARY OUTCOME VARIABLE: LIVING BINARY OUTCOME VARIABLE: LIVING ALONE ALONE

EXPLANATORY VARIABLESEXPLANATORY VARIABLES

– DEMOGRAPHIC DEMOGRAPHIC – ECONOMIC ECONOMIC – ACCULTURATIONACCULTURATION– OTHER CONTROLS OTHER CONTROLS

METHODS OF ANALYSISMETHODS OF ANALYSIS

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSESDESCRIPTIVE ANALYSES

TWO SEPARATE LOGISTIC REGRESSIONS, ALL TWO SEPARATE LOGISTIC REGRESSIONS, ALL NON-MARRIED ELDERLY, CANADA AND U.S.NON-MARRIED ELDERLY, CANADA AND U.S.

FOUR LOGISTIC REGRESSIONS, ALL NON-MARRIED FOUR LOGISTIC REGRESSIONS, ALL NON-MARRIED ELDERLYELDERLY– CANADA/FEMALESCANADA/FEMALES– CANADA/MALESCANADA/MALES– U.S./FEMALESU.S./FEMALES– U.S./MALESU.S./MALES

FOUR LOGISTIC REGRESSIONS, NON-MARRIED FOUR LOGISTIC REGRESSIONS, NON-MARRIED OLDER IMMIGRANTS, FOR ABOVE FOUR GROUPSOLDER IMMIGRANTS, FOR ABOVE FOUR GROUPS

LIMITATIONSLIMITATIONS

CHALLENGES OF COMPARATIVE CHALLENGES OF COMPARATIVE RESEARCHRESEARCH

CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDYCROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

CONCEPTUAL ISSUECONCEPTUAL ISSUE

MEASUREMENT ISSUE MEASUREMENT ISSUE

CENSUS AND ACS DATA LIMITATIONSCENSUS AND ACS DATA LIMITATIONS

DESCRIPTIVE RESULTSDESCRIPTIVE RESULTS

Descriptive Statistics of SamplesDescriptive Statistics of Samples

CanadaCanada U.S.U.S.

CanadiaCanadian-bornn-born

ForeigForeign-bornn-born

U.S.-U.S.-bornborn

Foreign-Foreign-bornborn

Mean AgeMean Age 7070 71.271.2 70.770.7 70.170.1

% Divorced or % Divorced or SeparatedSeparated

33.933.9 30.130.1 36.636.6 34.534.5

% Widowed% Widowed 47.847.8 56.356.3 49.149.1 50.550.5

Mean Years of Mean Years of EducationEducation

11.511.5 12.112.1 12.312.3 10.310.3

Mean IncomeMean Income 31,73831,738 30,14330,143 27,59427,594 20,75520,755

% Own Home% Own Home 59.659.6 66.766.7 71.371.3 61.761.7

Descriptive Statistics of SamplesDescriptive Statistics of Samples

CanadaCanada U.S.U.S.

CanadiaCanadian-bornn-born

ForeigForeign-bornn-born

U.S.-U.S.-bornborn

Foreign-Foreign-bornborn

% % Metropolitan Metropolitan ResidenceResidence

58.558.5 86.486.4 73.173.1 93.893.8

% Single % Single European European originorigin

56.656.6 47.747.7 43.443.4 27.927.9

% Single Asian % Single Asian originorigin

0.40.4 18.718.7 0.50.5 18.518.5

% Single % Single Latino originLatino origin

---- 1.01.0 3.43.4 32.132.1

Immigrant-specific Characteristics: Immigrant-specific Characteristics: Duration of Residence and Language Duration of Residence and Language

ProficiencyProficiency

CanadaCanada U.S.U.S.

Mean years of Mean years of residenceresidence

37.737.7 34.834.8

% with less than % with less than 10 years of 10 years of residenceresidence

5.55.5 10.710.7

% with highest % with highest language language proficiencyproficiency

37.637.6 25.225.2

% with lowest % with lowest language language proficiencyproficiency

14.614.6 18.918.9

Percent Living Alone, Non-married, 55 and Percent Living Alone, Non-married, 55 and OlderOlder

CanadaCanada

Native-born: 70.7Native-born: 70.7

Immigrants: 54.8Immigrants: 54.8

Difference: 15.9Difference: 15.9

Native-born females: 70.7Native-born females: 70.7

Female immigrants: 52.4Female immigrants: 52.4

Difference: 18.3Difference: 18.3

Native-born males: 70.6Native-born males: 70.6

Male immigrants: 61.0Male immigrants: 61.0

Difference: 9.6Difference: 9.6

U.S.U.S.

Native-born: 73.2Native-born: 73.2

Immigrants: 51.7Immigrants: 51.7

Difference: 21.5Difference: 21.5

Native-born females: 70.6Native-born females: 70.6

Female immigrants: 47.3Female immigrants: 47.3

Difference: 23.3Difference: 23.3

Native-born males: 78.8Native-born males: 78.8

Male immigrants: 64.1Male immigrants: 64.1

Difference: 14.7Difference: 14.7

LOGISTIC REGRESSION RESULTS, LOGISTIC REGRESSION RESULTS,

ALL ELDERLYALL ELDERLY

Descriptive and Adjusted Percents, Descriptive and Adjusted Percents, Living Alone by NativityLiving Alone by Nativity

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Canada U.S.

Native-bornForeign-born

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Canada U.S.

Native-bornForeign-born

Descriptive and Adjusted Percents Descriptive and Adjusted Percents Living Alone, Females and Males, Living Alone, Females and Males,

CanadaCanada

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Females Males

Native-bornForeign-born

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Females Males

Native-bornForeign-born

Descriptive and Adjusted Percents Descriptive and Adjusted Percents Living Alone, Females and Males, Living Alone, Females and Males,

U.S.U.S.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Females Males

Native-bornForeign-born

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Females Males

Native-bornForeign-born

LOGISTIC REGRESSION RESULTS, LOGISTIC REGRESSION RESULTS,

OLDER IMMIGRANTSOLDER IMMIGRANTS

EFFECTS OF DEMOGRAPHIC EFFECTS OF DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

55 60 65 70 75 80 85

Age

Pro

port

ion

Livi

ng A

lone

Canada FemalesCanada MalesUnited States FemalesUnited States Males

Predicted Proportion Living Alone by Predicted Proportion Living Alone by AgeAge

Predicted Percent Living Alone by Predicted Percent Living Alone by Marital Status, Females and Males, Marital Status, Females and Males,

CanadaCanada

50

55

60

65

70

75

Females

50

55

60

65

70

75

Males

Predicted Percent Living Alone by Predicted Percent Living Alone by Marital Status, Females and Males, Marital Status, Females and Males,

U.S.U.S.

50

55

60

65

70

75

Males

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

Divor

ced

Separ

ated

Never

-mar

ried

Wid

owed

Females

EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS

Predicted Percent Living Alone by Predicted Percent Living Alone by Education, Females and Males, Education, Females and Males,

CanadaCanada

50

55

60

65

70

75

Females

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

Males

Predicted Percent Living Alone by Predicted Percent Living Alone by Education, Females and Males, U.S.Education, Females and Males, U.S.

40455055606570

Females

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

Males

Predicted Proportion Living Alone Predicted Proportion Living Alone by Incomeby Income

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Income (in $1,000s)

Pro

port

ion L

ivin

g A

lone

Canada FemalesCanada MalesUnited States FemalesUnited States Males

Predicted Percent Living Alone by Predicted Percent Living Alone by Homeownership, Females and Males, Homeownership, Females and Males,

CanadaCanada

303540455055606570

Don't OwnHome

Own Home

Females

3035404550556065707580

Don't OwnHome

Own Home

Males

Predicted Percent Living Alone by Predicted Percent Living Alone by Homeownership, Females and Males, Homeownership, Females and Males,

U.S.U.S.

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

Don't OwnHome

Own Home

Females

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

Don't OwnHome

Own Home

Males

EFFECTS OF ACCULTURATION EFFECTS OF ACCULTURATION CHARACTERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS

Predicted Percent Living Alone by Predicted Percent Living Alone by Language Proficiency, Females and Males, Language Proficiency, Females and Males,

CanadaCanada

40455055606570

Females

50

55

60

65

70

75

Males

Predicted Percent Living Alone by Predicted Percent Living Alone by Language Proficiency, Females and Males, Language Proficiency, Females and Males,

U.S.U.S.

40455055606570

Females

50

55

60

65

70

75

Males

Predicted Proportion Living Alone by Predicted Proportion Living Alone by Duration of ResidenceDuration of Residence

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Duration of Residence (in years)

Pro

port

ion L

ivin

g A

lone

Canada FemalesCanada MalesUnited States FemalesUnited States Males

DISCUSSIONDISCUSSION

RESEARCH QUESTION 1RESEARCH QUESTION 1

ARE OLDER IMMIGRANTS LESS LIKELY TO ARE OLDER IMMIGRANTS LESS LIKELY TO LIVE ALONE THAN NATIVE-BORN ELDERLY?LIVE ALONE THAN NATIVE-BORN ELDERLY?

RESEARCH QUESTION 2RESEARCH QUESTION 2

WHAT ARE THE DETERMINANTS OF LIVINGWHAT ARE THE DETERMINANTS OF LIVINGALONE AMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTS?ALONE AMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTS?

FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THREE FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THREE FINDINGSFINDINGS

EFFECTS OF AGE EFFECTS OF AGE

EFFECTS OF MARITAL STATUS EFFECTS OF MARITAL STATUS

EFFECTS OF GENDER EFFECTS OF GENDER

DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF AGEDIFFERENT EFFECTS OF AGE

POSITIVE FOR CANADAPOSITIVE FOR CANADA

NEGATIVE FOR THE U.S.NEGATIVE FOR THE U.S.

SHARPER FOR FEMALES, BOTH SHARPER FOR FEMALES, BOTH CANADA AND THE U.S.CANADA AND THE U.S.

MARITAL STATUS EFFECTSMARITAL STATUS EFFECTS

WIDOWS/WIDOWERS ARE NOT THE MOST WIDOWS/WIDOWERS ARE NOT THE MOST LIKELY TO LIVE ALONELIKELY TO LIVE ALONE

MARITAL DISRUPTION DUE TO DIVORCE IS MARITAL DISRUPTION DUE TO DIVORCE IS STRONGER DETERMINANTSTRONGER DETERMINANT

NEVER-MARRIED ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY NEVER-MARRIED ARE ALSO MORE LIKELY THAN WIDOWS TO LIVE ALONETHAN WIDOWS TO LIVE ALONE

GENDER EFFECTSGENDER EFFECTS

MEN, NOT WOMEN, ARE MORE MEN, NOT WOMEN, ARE MORE LIKELY TO LIVE ALONELIKELY TO LIVE ALONE

SIMILAR IN CANADA AND THE U.S.SIMILAR IN CANADA AND THE U.S.

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

LIVING ALONE IS NOT UNCOMMON LIVING ALONE IS NOT UNCOMMON AMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTSAMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTS

LIVING ALONE IS ASSOCIATED WITH LIVING ALONE IS ASSOCIATED WITH ADVANTAGEOUS CHARACTERISTICSADVANTAGEOUS CHARACTERISTICS

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONSPRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

HOME ALONE: DETERMINANTS HOME ALONE: DETERMINANTS OF LIVING ALONE AMONG OLDER OF LIVING ALONE AMONG OLDER IMMIGRANTS IN CANADA AND IMMIGRANTS IN CANADA AND THE U.S.THE U.S.

SHARON M. LEESHARON M. LEE

UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIAUNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA

sml@uvic.casml@uvic.ca

Highest and Lowest Predicted Highest and Lowest Predicted Percents Living Alone, Ethnic GroupsPercents Living Alone, Ethnic Groups

CanadaCanada FemalesFemales

Korean: 69.0 %Korean: 69.0 %

Filipino: 32.7 %Filipino: 32.7 %

MalesMales

Canadian: 81 %Canadian: 81 %

Latin American: Latin American: 37.7 %37.7 %

U.S.U.S. FemalesFemales

French: 66.8 %French: 66.8 %

Asian Indian: 33 %Asian Indian: 33 %

MalesMales

American: 87.5 %American: 87.5 %

Filipino: 48.5 %Filipino: 48.5 %