Living Arrangements and Socio-Economic Conditions among Egyptian Elderly. The Determinants of Late-Life Family Structures

Abstract

Egypt is facing the dual challenges of being both young and rapidly transitioning. Population structure is changing, with main effects on several dimensions of individual and social life, which include family structures and relations. We aim to analyze the conditions of the elderly and to evaluate whether or not household structures, as well as the living arrangements of the elderly, have changed in recent years. Moreover, we aim to individuate the determinants of late-life living arrangements: independent living or co-residence. Trends in late-life living arrangements and intergenerational ties derive fromthree rounds of the Egyptian Labor Market Panel Survey (ELMPS) carried out in 1998, 2006 and 2012. To assess which respondents’ characteristics are related to the individual living arrangement a multinomial regression model, where the dependent variables are represented by the household types, has been implemented in 2012 data. Men and women live the latter part of their life in different living arrangements and relationships. Moreover, findings underlined situations of poor material conditions and poor health. Data confirma need for policy interventions to meet long-term needs of the elderly, taking into account the raising trend toward living alone or in households with only elderly members. In particular, it is essential to discover the channels of intervention in the rural areas of the country to protect the elderly from poverty, as many researchers have already pointed out.