Abstract
This study examined the differences between Hong Kong Chinese elderly people living alone and those living with others in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, physical health indicators, social support and subjective well-being. The respondents were 1106 people aged 60 years or older from a cross-sectional sample representative of the elderly population in Hong Kong. Some 105 of these respondents lived alone; another 149 respondents who lived with others were randomly selected from the sample as a comparison group. We found that elderly persons living alone were younger and were less likely to be married. Compared to the elderly respondents living with others, they had poorer self-rated health status and a higher level of financial strain. They also reported smaller social networks of relatives, received less instrumental and emotional support, and reported more depressive symptoms and a lower level of quality of life. Service implications are discussed based upon the findings.
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