The Social Meanings of Housing for Older Adults in Taiwan

• In Event: Aging and the Life Course Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): 8: Living Arrangements and Housing (In)stability

Abstract

Homeownership is commonly associated with financial security, largely because housing is treated as a valuable asset. Yet homeowners may still experience financial strain if they do not liquidate or leverage that value. This paper examines the social meanings of housing among older adults in Taiwan and argues that their strong commitment to homeownership rests on two interrelated factors. First, homeownership provides a profound sense of security in later life. Second, bequeathing a home to one’s children is practiced as a central form of parental care. Together, these meanings make older adults reluctant to extract or “cash out” the financial value embedded in their housing.

Author

• Chyi-Rong Tsai, University of Texas-Austin