Living Arrangements among the Elderly

This article examines why living arrangements among the elderly are changing in Spain. Although this process has been going on for decades, it remains under-examined from a sociological point of view. Our theoretical framework distinguishes between two basic residential forms among the elderly population: Residential independence, which refers to those living in two-person households with a partner, as well as those living alone; and intergenerational cohabitation, in which the elderly live with family members of other generations. We have used a qualitative methodological strategy, using discussion groups as a technique to generate data, and grounded theory as our approach for data analysis. Our analysis is focused on a specific group involved in this social process: the elderly who live alone. Our findings reveal a number of subjective reasons for the continuing growth of residential independence among the elderly in detriment to intergenerational cohabitation.