Living arrangements of Korean elderly parents: Preferences and actual circumstances.

Abstract

This study aims to reconcile two explanations of the rapid decline of coresidence among the elderly in Korea: (a) the elderly are living apart from their children against their wishes, due to their children's preference for separate residence and/or move away from home, or (b) the elderly live independently by their own choice. Based on the 1994 Survey of Living Status of Korean Elderly and the 1993 Focus Group Discussions, this study examines both separately and jointly preferred and actual living arrangements among elderly parents (60+) by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. The analysis shows that both perspectives are equally valid. The finding that economically better off elderly are less likely than their counterparts to actualize their preference for coresidence suggests that children's preference for separate residence may outweigh the economic benefit of coresidence that can be offered by affluent elderly parents who desire coresidence. Also, actualizing preference for coresidence is more difficult in rural areas (vs. urban) as a result of children's migration into cities. Regarding the second perspective, the elderly in better socioeconomic and demographic conditions are more likely than their counterparts to desire separate residence and actualize this desire. An additional important finding is that many elderly experience a discrepancy between their desired and actual circumstances at some stages of their life course. Work on preferences and its association with actual living arrangements is significant for both theory and policy. In theory building, it should contribute to our understanding of how characteristics of the elderly operate for groups with different types of preferences. This is particularly relevant to societies that experience a rapid transition in the norms of coresidence. In policy making, if we believe that the goal is to meet the needs and desire of the elderly, then we must measure and eliminate the discrepancy between preferred and actual living arrangements, rather than simply encourage extended family living arrangements while ignoring the preferences of the elderly.