Living arrangements of older adults in India: reduced forms for co-residence model

Understanding the effects of factors that determine the living arrangements of the older adults becomes crucial as their care is affected by their living arrangements. In India, the spectrum of social security schemes for the older adults needs diversification in terms of services provided and coverage. Therefore a large chunk of the support has to come from family and community. This support is reflected in their living arrangements. Often the social transition from an agriculture-based economy to an industrialized economy, with urbanization and nuclearization of families as its consequences, is cited as a reason for the changing living conditions of the older adults. This study is aimed at investigating the factors that are associated with the living arrangements of the older adults. It extracts information on Indian socio-cultural system vis-à-vis the older population from the 42nd round data of the National Sample Survey (NSS). The conceptual framework consists of availability factors, feasibility factors and cultural factors. Each of these factors is represented by a set of variables. The effect of these factors on the living arrangements of the older adults is analysed. It is asserted that the state of economic independence, the marital status, the place of residence, the sex and the age are potential factors determining the living arrangements at older ages. The analysis points to the need of planning long term policies for caring older adults, given the heterogeneity of the population and their living arrangements.