Linked Lives in the Great Recession: Personal and Family Mortgage Delinquency and Financial Stress and Older Adult Health and Well-Being

Jennifer A. Ailshire, University of Southern California

The recession is expected to have significant immediate and long-term consequences for the health and well-being of the older adult population. However, there is currently limited research on how the recession was experienced by older adults. The experiences of older adults may have been linked to the recession experiences of their family. This study used data from a subsample of the Health and Retirement Study to examine associations between housing instability and financial strained experienced by older adults and their families and older adult’s social and health characteristics. Initial results show that disadvantaged groups, including non-whites and less educated older adults, were at greater risk of experiencing housing instability or financial strain themselves or through their families. In addition, net of sociodemographic characteristics, older adults who were affected by the recession were more likely to report poor health and well-being.