Who moves where? A family ties perspective on later-life health decline and residential mobility in Finland

Health is a driver of residential mobility in later life. The literature, however, overlooks how health decline influences the residential moves of not just the older adult but also their family members, who are potential sources of informal care. This study examines whether parental health decline is associated with parents and their adult children moving closer to each other, and whether and how this association varies by parental sociodemographic characteristics. We study Finland, one of the most rapidly ageing countries in Europe. Using a random sample of Finnish parents aged 50-83 (N = 3,689,953) drawn from linked administrative registers, we examine the relationship between hospital admissions and subsequent residential moves. Results show that a quarter of residential moves experienced by older parents are proximity-enhancing, and around 60% of these moves are done by adult children. However, we find that it is the parents—rather than the children—who engage in proximity-enhancing moves following hospitalisation, highlighting the dual challenges of worsening health and residential relocation in later life. The association between hospitalisation and co-residence with a child is especially pronounced for older, lower-educated, and spouseless parents, while younger and non-homeowning parents are more likely to move closer to a child following hospitalisation.