Table 1.

Living Arrangements and Number of Changes in Household Composition Over 10 years: Assets and Health Dynamics of the Elderly/Health and Retirement Survey 1993–2002

		Number of changes in household compositiona
Living arrangements	% (n)	0	1	2	3+
Continuously
Alone	28.6 (2,315)	100.0	—	—	—
With spouse	37.9 (3,070)	89.8	7.2	2.5	0.5
With same adult child	7.7 (619)	86.6	13.4	—	—
With othersb	2.4 (190)	100.0	—	—	—
Changed
From spouse or alone to adult childc	4.6 (368)	—	55.7	32.1	12.2
From spouse to alone	11.6 (940)	—	82.6	13.6	3.8
From spouse/alone/with adult child to othersb	3.0 (242)	—	43.4	40.1	16.5
Other patterns	4.3 (349)	—	67.9	24.6	7.5
Total %	100.0	71.6	20.1	6.3	2.0
Total N	8,093	5,797	1,626	507	163

^aChanges in household composition were counted from one wave to another. For example, adding or losing an adult child from a household and adding or losing a spouse (usually through death) from a household. These changes are irrespective of physical relocation. For example, adding a child includes both a child who moves into a parent’s home and a parent who moves into a child’s home. Changes in household composition of persons living “continuously” with a spouse or with the same adult child reflect an adult child or children, who moved in or out, or other relatives or nonrelatives, who joined or left the household during the study period.

^bPredominantly relatives (excluding a spouse or adult child).

^cAlso includes persons with a pattern from spouse to alone to adult child.