Do Living Arrangements of Older People Matter for Inter-Household Transfers They Received? Evidence from Senegal

Willy Adrien Yakam Yemtchoua, Université de Montréal
Yves Carriere, Université de Montréal
Thomas LeGrand, University of Montreal

The general absence of broad-based formal social protection systems in several SSA countries means that older adults in worsening health tend to be highly dependent on members of their households and families. While most recent studies have focused on living arrangements of older people, family transfers are poorly documented. This paper used data from the 2nd round of the Poverty and Family Structure Survey in Senegal to investigate why, and to what extent inter-household transfers to older adult from their non-coresident relatives occur and how their living arrangements would be associated with it. Results from a sample of 3,144 older adult aged 50 and above show a strong association between living arrangements and receiving some family transfers. Living with no adult increases the risk of being supported by the non-coresident family member. This study aims to contribute to the emerging literature on private support in old age in Africa.