TY - JOUR T1 - Does Living Alone Affect Self-Perceptions of Aging? Findings From Two Waves of the Health and Retirement Study. JF - Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine Y1 - 2022 A1 - Lee, Sunwoo KW - Living arrangement KW - Marital Status KW - self-perceptions of aging (SPA) AB -

The current study examined if living alone is associated with self-perceptions of aging (SPA). The study used two-wave longitudinal data, sampled from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), and collected in 2014 and 2018. In total, 6506 older adults aged 60-99 years at baseline were followed up with a 4-year lag. Results indicated that there was no significant change in SPA at follow-up regardless of changes in living arrangements. However, at follow-up, there was a significant cross-sectional difference in SPA between older adults who remained in partnership and those who transitioned to living alone due to widowhood or separation/divorce over a 4-year period. Findings suggest that SPA is relatively stable over time and is barely affected by living alone.

VL - 8 ER -