Living Arrangements of Older Ethnic Russians in Estonia

Anne Herm , Tallinn University
Allan Puur, Tallinn University
Michel Poulain, Tallinn University (TLU) / Universite catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain)

The changes in household patterns due to the processes during the SDT are primarily related to the younger age groups, but their consequences do not leave the older age groups and their household situation opportunities in later life untouched. In this study, we analyse the living arrangements of the older people within an immigrant sub-population. Comparative studies involving immigrant populations suggest that, the integration process would decrease their differences with the host population and close-up their living arrangements’ preferences. Therefore, it is expected that immigrants who have lived most of their lives in host society, have adopted its norms and behaviours. The Estonian case is interesting, as the post-WWII inflow of Russian-origin immigrants have resulted in a large Russian diaspora, most of which members arrived in their young age and spent most of their life in Estonia. Our hypothesis is that patterns of living arrangements of old Russians in Estonia differ somewhat from those of the native population, but the level of difference may vary across socio-demographic groups. Theoretical mechanisms, discussed in literature allow assuming that better integrated socio-demographic groups of immigrants, such as having host country citizenship and language skills demonstrate also closer patterns of living arrangements. Closer patterns to natives could be also expected in those who immigrated at younger age or have higher level of education. Our results show that, in the specific conditions of diaspora living in Estonia, the living arrangements’ patterns of older ethnic Russians stay rather far from those of the native population.

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 Presented in Session P2. Health, Mortality, Ageing - Aperitivo