THE LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF UNMARRIED ELDERLY HISPANIC FEMALES

In this paper we examine the influence of cultural preferences on living arrangements for a sample of older unmarried Hispanic and non-Hispanic white females. We develop a conceptual framework composed of three sets of factors: availability of kin, economic and health feasibility, and cultural desirability. Our analyses show that household living arrangements among Hispanic and non-Hispanic females are more similar when we control for these three sets of factors, and that cultural desirability factors are particularly important. The likelihood that elderly Hispanic females will reside in an institution is actually decreased, however, when we control for these factors; this finding suggests a strong reluctance among Hispanics to use formal long-term care facilities.