Older people living alone need more help with household tasks

© ANP / Patricia Rehe
In 2023, approximately half of people aged 55 and over reported having difficulty with household activities, or being unable to do them due to health issues. The activities include preparing a meal, managing financial affairs or doing light and heavy housework. Eighty-four percent of this age group said they needed no help or no additional help, while 8 percent who do not receive help would like it, and 7 percent who do receive help need extra help. Particularly those living alone say they need more help. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of the 2023 Health Survey.

The percentage of people who say they have great difficulty with at least one of the household activities listed in the survey, or who cannot do any of them, is highest among people aged over 75 (34 percent). This age group experiences difficulty with Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). More people aged 75 and over (37 percent) also experience some difficulty with these activities compared with people aged 55 to 64 (24 percent).

Half of people over 55 received no help and needed no help

People aged 55 and over living independently who indicated experiencing some difficulty with at least one of the IADL activities were asked whether they were actually receiving help with these activities. If the answer was yes, they were then asked if they wanted more help. If they answered no, they were asked whether they would like any help. Eighty-four percent said they were receiving enough help; 34 percent were receiving help and said they did not need any more help, while 50 percent were receiving no help and did not need any help. Over 7 percent indicated they were receiving help and would like additional help, while nearly 8 percent said they were not receiving help but would like to. The share of people receiving help was the highest among people aged 75 and over. Moreover, the share of those over 75 who wanted more help was also higher than among people aged 55 to 64.

Particularly those living alone want more help

The share of people aged 55 and over who had at least some difficulty with one of the IADL activities is higher among people living alone (67 percent) than among those living with a partner (45 percent). Even when taking into account that the people living alone in the survey are, on average, somewhat older than those cohabiting, the share of people experiencing some difficulty with any of the IADL activities is higher among those living alone.

Among those aged over 55, more people living alone want more help (13 percent) than those living with a partner. Furthermore, 11 percent said they did not receive any help but did want help. Among people of the same age who live with a partner, the share was 4 percent and 6 percent, respectively. Across all age groups, people living alone want to receive more help than they are currently receiving, while in the age groups up to 75, there are more people living alone who would like to receive help but are not currently receiving it.

More people say they do not need help

The share of people aged 55 and over who experience some difficulty with an IADL activity has hardly changed compared to 2014. Of those who reported experiencing at least some difficulty with one of the IADL activities, the share of people receiving help in 2023 was lower than in 2014. The share of people who want to receive more help is also slightly lower. The share of people not receiving help and not needing help has increased compared to 2014. The share of people not receiving help but indicating that they want it, has remained unchanged.