Short-term trends in functional limitation and disability among older Asians: a comparison of five Asian settings.

The objective of this paper is to examine short-term trends in the prevalence of limitation in Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) and Nagi physical functioning tasks among persons age 60 years or older in five Asian settings: Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and the Beijing Municipality. The data come from recent panel surveys of older adults that span a period of 3-4 years during the mid to late 1990s. Results suggest a general trend toward an increase in functional limitation in four of the five settings, with the most pronounced increases occurring for the Nagi functioning tasks.

Fertility decline, family structure, and support for older persons in Latin America and Asia.

Objective: To compare family structures and support for older persons in two Asian countries (Taiwan and the Philippines) and six urban areas in Latin America (Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Havana, Santiago, Mexico City, and Montevideo).

Methods: Using the 1999 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan, the 2000 Philippine Survey of the Near Elderly and Elderly, and the 2001 Pan American Health Organisation surveys on Salud, Bienestar y Envejecimiento en América Latina y el Caribe, descriptive tables show variations across countries in family structure, proximity, and transfers of support by the timing of the fertility transition in each location.

Results: Older people in settings with earlier transitions had fewer children and more childlessness, higher levels of solitary living, and lower levels of co-residence with children.