"I Love You to Death": Social Networks and the Widowhood Effect on Mortality

Co-residence with children as a mediator between widowhood and loneliness in older adults

BACKGROUND

Loneliness in older adults, exacerbated by widowhood, is a significant public health concern. While widowhood can lead to changes in living arrangements, its impact on loneliness may vary across cultural contexts. In Western societies, widowhood often results in older adults living alone, which can intensify feelings of loneliness. However, in China, the cultural norm of filial piety and multigenerational households may lead to different outcomes. As few studies have explored this connection over time, this research seeks to bridge this gap using data from older Chinese adults.

METHODS

Using 16 years of data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which covers 21,986 individuals aged 65-104 years, we conducted causal mediation analysis to test if changes in living arrangements (i.e., living alone versus with children) serve as a mediator between widowhood and loneliness. The potential variation in this mediation effect by gender and age was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Spousal loss was associated with an increase in loneliness. However, living with adult children post-loss reduced this emotional strain compared to living alone. The mediating influence of living arrangements was notably stronger for women than men and intensified with age in long term. In the short term, the mediating impact of living arrangements is significantly greater, particularly for older adults under 80 years old.

CONCLUSION

Alterations in living arrangements play a pivotal role in mediating the effects of widowhood on loneliness among China's older adults. Encouraging co-residence with adult children post-spousal loss, especially for older women and the eldest age groups, might mitigate social isolation. These insights both deepen our theoretical understanding and suggest interventions to enhance the well-being of widowed older adults.

A bridge too far? Social network structure as a determinant of depression in later life

Existing research has documented various determinants of mental health related to individuals' social connections, but less is known about the role of the structural features of interpersonal networks. This is especially true in the case of bridging, which refers to ties to people who are otherwise disconnected from each other. By intersecting theories of social networks and gerontology, this study employs within- and between-person analysis with data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) to examine the association between social network bridging and depression in later life. The study finds that bridging, particularly between kin and non-kin members in the network, is associated with increased depressive symptoms in later life. This association is contingent on social support and strain respondents experienced, and it exhibits variations within individuals over time, especially among older adults in the youngest age cohort (57-64 years old included in NSHAP in 2005). In closing, the paper discusses the extent to which heterogeneous network structures may be one mechanism that shapes mental health trajectories in the context of later life-course experiences.

Widowhood and bereavement in late life

Bereavement is a common and often challenging experience in late life. Evidence shows that while many older adults manage to adjust well and demonstrate resilience in response to the death of a close person, bereavement puts a substantial minority at risk of adverse mental and physical health impacts including mortality. Current research further indicates that 1) this is the case across different countries and cultures across the globe; 2) that the COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for coping with late-life bereavement; 3) that loneliness and social isolation among bereaved older adults tend to be prevalent and harmful, particularly under pandemic but also in nonpandemic circumstances; and, recently, 4) that bereavement may be a risk factor for cognitive decline in this population.