Living Arrangements and Its Determinants in Kerala

Home to a rapidly growing population of elderly, India has one of the fastest growing ageing populations in the world. This paper analyses the socio-economic and demographic correlates of the living arrangement choices of older persons in the state of Kerala. The data for the present paper was taken from “Kerala Migration Survey, 2008” conducted by government of Kerala and Centre for Development Studies. The sample includes 2,069 elderly. Both bivariate and multivariate techniques were used for the analysis. Majorities (90 percent) of the elderly were in co-residence or lived with their spouses and children. Less than 2 percent are living alone and only 8 percent are staying with relatives. The variables, like age, sex, marital status, number of surviving children, education, occupation, economic dependency play an important role in determining the living arrangements of the elderly. In view of the changing socio-economic and demographic scenario, increasing education and income and a simultaneous decline in fertility, there is a likelihood of a higher proportion of elderly living alone in the future. Therefore, the policies and programmes for the elderly have to be appropriately designed to address the needs of those who live a