Home after widowhood

A longitudinal study of residential mobility and housing preferences following a partner’s death

Bibliographic Data

ID11484361
AuthorsAske Egsgaard (0000-0002-7558-3218, University of Copenhagen, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume39
Issue7
Pages1581-1606
Publication date2024-08-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueHousing Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0267-3037 • E-ISSN: 1466-1810
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02673037.2022.2135169
OpenAlexW4308071419
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited64

Within the housing literature, questions regarding the residential mobility and housing choice of people who have recently transitioned into widowhood remain unanswered – especially when it comes to the differences between widows and widowers. This article utilizes unique Danish administrative panel data to investigate these questions through a case observing and following all widows and widowers between 50 and 90 years of age over a 25-year period. The results show that while both widows and widowers are significantly more likely to move in the years following a partner’s death, but also that widows are more residentially mobile than widowers. Furthermore, the results show that the transition into widowhood increases widows’ likelihood to move closer to their adult children, while both widows and widowers are more likely to downsize following a move. These results indicate that the death of a partner affects the residential situation of men and women differently, even within a Danish context that strongly emphasizes gender equality

Demographic economics · Economics · Longitudinal data · Sociology · Demography · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Medicine · Migration, Aging, and Tourism Studies · Psychology · Gerontology