Leader: Roberto Impicciatore (UNIBO); Other collaborator(s): Lucia Zanotto - UNIBO
How people deal with events such as retirement, bereavement and grandparenthood depend not only on individual values and attitudes but also on previous experiences. Based on longitudinal data, Task 2.5 will explore the interlinkages between some of the most relevant events in old age (retirement, changes in living arrangement, grandparenthood, geographical mobility, transitions in health status and caring needs) highlighting the influence of individual characteristics and the prior life courses. Primary tasks will be the analyses of quantum, timing and sequences of these events, the study of residential proximity with relatives and the management of care needs.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results: All age groups are constantly engaged in actively creating and recreating their lives. The life phase between 50 and 75 years of age is a time of transition marked by changing family relations and exiting the workforce. Task 2.5, based on longitudinal data, will explore the interlinkages between some of the most relevant events in old-adult age, such as the exit from the labor market, changes in living arrangements, grandparenthood, geographical mobility, transitions in health status, and caring needs. This investigation will account for socio-economic conditions and sources of inequality. Following a life course approach, the primary tasks will be to examine the interrelationship among these events, considering the quantum, timing, and sequences. Intermediate results from using SHARElife data for eleven European countries indicate four distinct trajectories for both men and women. By using a multinomial logistic model, it was found that trajectories characterized by good health and a postponement of exit from the labor market clearly increase among more recent cohorts and are positively associated with higher education. Furthermore, this pattern is particularly evident in countries like Denmark and Sweden characterized by higher women's participation in the formal labor market, less strict rules about retirement, and more flexible forms of paid work. Analyses also show an overall increasing level of complexity in life course patterns over time. Focusing on residential mobility among older people, we found that the propensity to move is related to family-related events and health rather than events linked to the labor market
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications: A deeper understanding of the relationship between working-life decisions, living arrangements, and the distance from other family members may reveal important cleavages between life courses experienced by different social groups. For instance, people with few relatives or distant family members may face difficulties in meeting care needs; decisions about retirement can be linked to both family life courses and economic conditions; geographical mobility may be driven by family ties, but not in the same way for both men and women. The findings of our analyses contribute to a deeper comprehension of the challenges and opportunities faced by the young-old, informing not only individual choices but also policy formulations aimed at reducing inequalities in an aging population.
Data preparation: Data from SHARE project have been organized and processed in order to identify individual biographies. Harmonization and variables definition; definition of the life course events of interest and related time-varying variables
Data Analysis: Analyses on this dataset is either completed or currently in progress.
Scientific Publications: The writing of scientific articles is either completed or ongoing. In particular, besides the outputs shown below, a first draft titled “The Transition to Older Age in Europe: Examining Life Trajectories from 50 to 75 Years of Age” is now complete and will be submitted to an international journal soon.
Policy Brief: A policy brief on geographical mobility later in life is currently in progress.
Dissemination Activities: Dissemination efforts have already begun and are ongoing.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results: Advancements in life expectancy have heightened the importance of understanding the familial dynamics and social connections among older adults. The ability to experience love, engage in meaningful work, and actively participate in society is not exhausted in adulthood. In today's aging societies, older individuals lead rich and diverse family and social lives.
Our analyses show that, on average, two out of three Italians aged 50 and over are in a married couple, slightly less than 30% is not in an intimate relationship at the time of the survey, and only a reduced percentage is living with a partner in a non-marital relationship or in a LAT relationship. Important differences by sex and age appear. The situation is especially intriguing when considering the previous partnership history of older individuals. It is also interesting to note a higher degree of heterogamy for cohabiting or LAT couples, an aspect that deserves further deepening. Research is ongoing, and in further steps, we will deepen the socio-demographic characteristics of people forming a union in later life or depending on the different partnership status and living arrangements. For this reason, future investigation will be devoted to deepening the existence of potential differences in well-being and social support among the different living arrangements of Italian adults and older people.
Main policy, industrial and scientific implications: We extensively document partnership dynamics in middle and later life, namely for individuals aged 50 and over, focusing on Italy. Our findings show that re-marriage, separation, and non-marital cohabitations start to become common life events also among middle-aged and older adults, leading to richer and varied family arrangements. Whether not so spread, the percentage of re-married or cohabiting older Italians is not negligible, especially for the youngest old, probably due to the slow and late diffusion process of the SDT in the country. Recent trends in changing family behaviours let us assume that this complexity will concern more and more midlife and older Italians in the years to come. Understanding the ways of living in a couple and forming a partnership in middle and older age is important not only per se but also for its possible interrelationships with well-being and the availability of support.
Data Analysis: Analysis of secondary data is currently in progress.
Scientific Publications: Writing of scientific articles is either completed or ongoing (refer to the publications section).
Dissemination Activities: Dissemination efforts have already begun and are ongoing.
Brief description of the activities and of the intermediate results: After exploring changes in life trajectories at older ages (leading to a submission to a leading journal), the research activity at this stage is primarily focused on analyzing residential trajectories later in life. Preliminary results indicate that mobility decreases with age and is more common in Northern and Central Europe than in Southern and Eastern countries. Family status emerges as a key determinant of mobility, surpassing employment-related factors. Individuals who live alone, are separated or widowed, or experience poor health are significantly more likely to move, often due to the need for family support or care. These findings underscore the critical role of family dynamics and health in shaping later-life mobility patterns, particularly in cases involving severe health decline or institutionalization. Regarding the impact of geographical mobility on subjective well-being, preliminary results suggest that the shift in life satisfaction is negligible immediately after the move but tends to increase 3–4 years later, indicating a long-term positive effect of geographical mobility.
Data Analysis: Analysis of secondary data is currently in progress. In addition to the preparation of retrospective data from the SHARELIFE surve, a specific effort has been made to harmonize repeated waves from the SHARE survey to measure potential time-varying subjective aspects of people’s lives, such as life satisfaction and self-reported health, without relying on memory, which may be unreliable for subjective topics that evolve over time. The ultimate objective is to evaluate the consequences of geographical mobility on migrants' subjective well-being by analyzing their responses at various stages of the panel survey and integrating these data with their migration history.
Scientific Publications: Writing of scientific articles is either completed or ongoing (refer to the publications section).
Dissemination Activities: Dissemination efforts ongoing.