A decomposition analysis of changing living arrangement for elderly in India, 1992-2006

Present study makes an attempt to unearth the changing pattern of living arrangement for elderly and explores the socio-demographic and compositional factors contributing to this. Using information on age, sex, relationship to the head, household structure and living arrangement is being calculated from the three rounds of Demographic Health Surveys. Findings reveal that percentage of nuclear household has increased from 55.7 in 1992 to 64.9 in 2005. The increase is decomposed and it is found that change in propensity to live in nuclear household has the major contribution (53%) to this increase, propensity change by age (32%) and region (19%) has shown the largest contribution to the increase.Compositional change due to population ageing (14%), education (14%) and urbanization (7%) have encouraged to this increase most. Larger increase in adjusted percentage of elderly living alone is found among southern India (4.4%), lower affluent level(3.5%), female and not educated elderly. Similarly, higher increase in elderly living with spouse only is observed among southern, male and rural elderly. Study concludes though, India has still strong co-residence system but this system of living arrangement is undergoing rapid transition towards nuclear households which is alarming and should be concern for policy for graying population.