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Section 6: Women, disability and aging
6.6. Do women and men have different rates of independent living as they age?
As people age, they are often less able to live independently. The chart below shows the percentage of the population 65 and over, by age group and gender, that (1) lives at home independently, (2) lives at home but requires assistance, or (3) resides in a nursing home. Overall, older women are more likely than older men to require assistance at home. They are also more likely to live in a nursing home. In the 65-74 year old group, there are few differences between women and men, but the differences increase steeply as age increases. Among people over 85, only 45% of women live independently, compared to 63% of men.
Compared to men, older women are less likely to live independently and more likely to live in a nursing home or need assistance at home.
Figure 31: Living arrangement status of women and men 65 years and older, by age group
Source: Guralnik (1997).
Surveys: National Nursing Home Survey, 1995; NHIS-D, 1994.
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