Co-Determinants of Coresidence Among Older Persons in India

Traditionally, in the patriarchal and patrilineal context of South Asian countries, there is a preference for older persons to coreside with their children. Strong and enduring familial norms and filial values contribute to the trend of children continuing to live with their older parents. However, economic and social development has contributed to changes in Indian family structures. Given that the family is the main source of support for its members, the present study aims to understand the levels of coresidence among older persons in India. For this purpose, the study using data from the Building a Knowledge Base on Population Ageing in India (BKPAI) survey, has found that the levels of coresidence continue to be high in the regions of the country where the survey was conducted, with the exception of Tamil Nadu state. The analysis finds that demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of older persons such as sex, marital status, number of children, education, disability and household wealth are important factors associated with intergenerational coresidence.