Time alone

Article: Time alone (PDF)

Objectives

• To become aware of why more people are living alone.
• To discuss why people are spending more time alone.

Method

1. In 2001, 12.3% of the population aged 15 and over lived alone compared with 2.6% in 1951. Discuss what has contributed to the nearly five-fold increase in the proportion of people living alone.
2. The largest group of Canadians living alone are seniors (mostly widows), followed by people aged 25 to 44. Survey the class to find out how many have grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters or other family members who live alone.
3. Many seniors live on their own because their spouse died. But what about the younger age groups? What are some of the social factors that may contribute to 25- to 44-year-olds living alone?
4. In 1998, people aged 15 and over spent 5.9 hours alone (excluding personal care activities such as sleeping, getting dressed or personal hygiene), compared with 4.4 hours in 1986. Discuss why, regardless of whether people live alone or not, they are spending more time alone in the late 1990s than they did in the mid-1980s. What are the social and personal implications of this trend?

Please e-mail comments or examples of how you used this exercise in your class.