Duke-NUS Medical School

Losing a partner is a life-changing experience. We draw on numerous datasets to examine differences between widowed and partnered older women and to provide a comprehensive picture of well-being in widowhood. Most importantly, our analysis accounts for time use in widowhood, an aspect which has not been studied previously. Based on data from several European countries we trace the evolution of well-being of women who become widowed by comparing them with their matched non-widowed ‘statistical twins’ and examine the role of an exceptionally broad set of potential moderators of widowhood’s impact on well-being. We confirm a dramatic decrease in mental health and life satisfaction after the loss of a partner, followed by a slow recovery. An extensive set of controls recorded prior to widowhood, including detailed family ties and social networks, provides little help in explaining the deterioration in well-being. Unique data from time-diaries kept by older women from several European countries and the U.S. tell us why: the key factor behind widows’ reduced well-being is increased time spent alone.Presented by Dr. Michal Myck, Director, Centre for Economic Analysis, CenEA.

Presented by Mr Andrew Reilly.Pension Analyst, Social Policy Division, Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECDPension systems have had to continually evolve since they were introduced. Initially they were commonly available only to government workers or they were intended to provide income only for a very short period of time. As life expectancy has improved significantly over the last century pensions now need to cover over 20 years in retirement on average. Financial crises and global recessions have all had an impact in recent decades. Now, we are faced with continued population ageing, with Asian countries being particularly affected. Social protection schemes are facing a major challenge with population ageing – pension systems are being squeezed from two directions, as rising life expectancy typically means more aggregate expenditure on pensions, and lower fertility means fewer working-age people to pay contributions. It is also expected to increase spending in the health and the long-term care system and add to unpaid work obligations, threatening gender equality. While immigration can slow down the shrinkage of the working age population, migration at levels necessary to meaningfully counteract the trend might not be politically palpable. What can be done to ensure both adequate and sustainable pension systems globally and for Singapore specifically?