Citation

Mindel CH, Wright R. Activ. Adapt. Aging 1983; 3(2): 25-34.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1983, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1300/J016v03n02_06

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Attitude literature has consistently shown that the elderly and their children do not desire to share households, preferring "intimacy at a distance." In spite of this, significant numbers of elderly continue to live with relatives. The objective of this study was to examine if elderly living with kin suffer lower morale than elderly living alone or with a spouse. Variables such as race, health, socioeconomic status, and sex, which have been shown to affect morale, were controlled, permitting assessment of the independent effect of living arrangement on morale. Using multiple classification and analysis of covariance on a random sample of 1332 elderly, race, sex, socioeconomic status and health were found to be significant predictors of morale. After partiding, living arrangement remained a significant predictor of morale. Elderly living with their spouses had the highest level of morale followed by elderly living alone and by elderly living with children. These results indicate that the concerns expressed in negative attitudes toward sharing households with children tend to be borne out once the elderly person shares the household.