Variations in preferred living arrangements among Korean elderly parents

Guided by the assumption that the preferences for a particular type of living arrangement are influenced by values of privacy and the level of needs/resources among the elderly, this study investigates how the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the Korean elderly are associated with their preferences for independent living over coresidence with their children. A logit model analysis is conducted based on data from the 1994 Survey on the Living Status of Korean Elderly. The major findings are: (1) contrary to common belief, the rural elderly are more likely to prefer independent living than the urban elderly, (2) provided that elderly parents have financial resources, those in poor health are more likely than those in fair health to prefer separate residence from their children, and (3) the absence of a son increases the likelihood of preferring independent living over coresidence. The implications of these findings for current Korean policy promoting coresidence and for studies of living arrangements of the elderly are discussed.