Marital Status, Living Arrangements, and the Well-Being of Older People

Abstract

Three large probability samples of older people are analyzed in terms of the relationships between marital status and living arrangements, on the one hand, and a variety of indicators of well-being including cognitive functioning, health, time use, family interaction, friend interaction, perceived time use, perceived quality family interaction, perceived quality friend interaction, perceived environment, and objective environmental quality. With other background factors controlled, the major effect of marital status was seen in the favorable situation of the presently married. Effects associated with living arrangements were stronger. Those living alone were healthier but notably lower in all types of subjective well-being. Living with children was associated with lower basic competence and subjective well-being, but being married had generally favorable consequences whether or not other people lived in the household.