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Global Household Changes


With a few exceptions in low-income countries, people worldwide are living longer, having fewer children (or not having them at all), and having children later in life. Generally, there has been a shift away from intergenerational living towards older individuals and households living without younger generations. These trends mean there is an increased burden on a smaller number of family members to provide informal caretaking for older family members. The main takeaway for planners is there is a growing need for housing and service options for aging adults, along with access to transit and community support (especially for more rural areas).

Health and Places Initiative (HAPI) Research Brief
Global Household Changes, Aging, Health, and Place [PDF]