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Cultural Preferences and Economic Constraints: The Living Arrangements of Elderly Canadians*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 2009

Lisa Kaida ,
Melissa Moyser  and
Stella Y. Park
Lisa Kaida*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto, Department of Sociology
Melissa Moyser*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto, Department of Sociology
Stella Y. Park*
Affiliation:
University of Toronto, Department of Sociology
*
†Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to: / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés -à-part doivent être adressées à : Lisa Kaida; Melissa Moyser; Stella Y. Park Department of Sociology University of Toronto 725 Spadina Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5S 2J4 Phone: 416-946-4060 Fax: 416-978-3963 (lisa.kaida@utoronto.ca; melissa.moyser@utoronto.ca; yhstella.park@utoronto.ca)
†Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to: / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés -à-part doivent être adressées à : Lisa Kaida; Melissa Moyser; Stella Y. Park Department of Sociology University of Toronto 725 Spadina Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5S 2J4 Phone: 416-946-4060 Fax: 416-978-3963 (lisa.kaida@utoronto.ca; melissa.moyser@utoronto.ca; yhstella.park@utoronto.ca)
†Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to: / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés -à-part doivent être adressées à : Lisa Kaida; Melissa Moyser; Stella Y. Park Department of Sociology University of Toronto 725 Spadina Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5S 2J4 Phone: 416-946-4060 Fax: 416-978-3963 (lisa.kaida@utoronto.ca; melissa.moyser@utoronto.ca; yhstella.park@utoronto.ca)
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Abstract

Using data from the 2001 Census Public Use Microdata Files on Individuals, we examine the role of cultural preferences and economic constraints in elderly Canadians’ choice of living arrangements (living with one’s children and/or other relatives versus living independently). We find that members of ethnic groups holding familistic cultural values (Italian, Chinese, South Asian, and East Indian) are more likely than their individualistic counterparts (British, German, and Dutch) to live with kin. Economic disadvantage also entails a greater likelihood of living with kin. However, the relative importance of cultural preferences and economic constraints as determinants of living arrangements among the elderly depends on marital status. Among the married, cultural preferences explain a greater proportion of the variation in living arrangements; among the non-married, economic constraints do. This research contributes a more nuanced understanding of living arrangements among the elderly than its predecessors, which neglected the role of marital status.

Résumé

Utilisant les donnés du recensement canadien de 2001, nous examinons le rôle des préférences culturelles et des contraintes économiques sur la situation domestique des personnes âgées (vivre avec son enfant et/ou une personne apparentée versus vivre de façon autonome). Nos analyses révèlent que les membres de groupes ethniques partageant des valeurs familialistes (italien, chinois, sud-asiatique, et indien d’Asie) sont plus susceptibles que leur homologues individualistes (britannique, allemand, et néerlandais) de vivre avec un proche parent. Toutefois, l’importance des préférences culturelles et des contraintes économiques dépendent en grande partie de l’état matrimonial. Pour les personnes mariées, les préférences culturelles expliquent une grande proportion de la variation des situations domestiques. Pour ce qui est des personnes célibataires, les contraintes économiques sont plus importantes. En comparaison avec les études antérieures, où celles-ci négligent le rôle de l’état matrimonial, cette recherche contribue à une compréhension plus nuancée de la situation domestique des personnes âgées.

Keywords

vieillissementarrangements de viepréferences culturellescontraintes économiquesle recensement de 2001régression logiqueagingliving arrangementscultural preferenceeconomic constraints2001 Censuslogistic regression
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 28 , Issue 4 , December 2009 , pp. 303 - 313
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2009

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Footnotes

*

This paper was presented at the annual meeting of the Canadian Population Society, Learned Societies meeting, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 31 May 2007. Authorship is listed in alphabetical order; work undertaken for the paper is equally shared by the authors. This paper was partly funded by the “Immigration and Immigrant Integration” project associated with Professor Monica Boyd’s Canada Research Chair.

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