Demography of Living Arrangements among Oldest-Old Mexican Americans: Evidence from the Hispanic Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly

Objective: In this article, we examine the demographics of living arrangements and household headship status among Mexican-origin individuals aged 85+ years. Method: Data come from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (H-EPESE) caregiver and respondent surveys. Results: Finances of the elderly individual and their caregiver inform living arrangement decisions. Physical and cognitive disability differentiate among living arrangements: The most mentally and physically impaired are most likely to live with others and less likely to be the head of the household. Discussion: Motivations for living with others are clearly more complex than simple filial piety considerations might hold. Extended living arrangements provide concrete financial and instrumental benefits for both elderly parents and their adult child caregiver. Future research should address the question of the capacity of the Mexican American family to provide care for elderly parents in the face of major demographic and social changes.