SSR Seminar Series: Living Arrangements and Social Support among Older Singaporeans

Living arrangements and social support make up two major aspects of social connectedness for older individuals. Yet how they are related with health and wellbeing at older ages may not have a straightforward answer. Based on two recent studies of the Singapore Chinese Health Study (SCHS), this presentation will address two puzzling patterns in this regard, which are often observed in social surveys in Singapore. Firstly, why is social support often positively associated with health among older Singaporeans? This appears contradictory to the expectation of Singaporeans that older adults in poor health are supposed to receive good support. Second, are older people more likely to feel isolated if they live alone? This seems reasonable, but healthy and active solo-livers are also not impossible in the Singapore society nowadays. Decoding these patterns could help to reveal the structure of eldercare arrangements in Singapore and to facilitate development of community interventions.