Rapid demographic changes in Malaysia and Viet Nam could disrupt traditional family support for older people.
An analysis of unique panel data from the Malaysia Ageing and Retirement Survey and the Viet Nam Aging Survey points to the benefits of living conditions―including marital status and whether one’s children live nearby―for the physical and mental well-being of older people. Given the estimated protective effect of living arrangements examined in the paper, governments may need to adjust social safety nets to bolster the physical and mental health of senior citizens living alone.