Relationships between housing and healthy aging in very old age
Författare
Summary, in English
Purpose: The aim of this work is to examine the relationship between aspects of objective and perceived housing and aspects of healthy aging, defined as independence in daily activities and subjective wellbeing. Furthermore, this research examined the comparability of relationships between housing and healthy aging in the five European countries. Design and Methods: Data were drawn from the ENABLE-AGE Project, from home interviews with a sample of 1,918 very old people aged 75. to 89 years living alone in their own homes in Swedish, German, British, Hungarian and Latvian urban areas. Results: Participants living in better accessible homes, who perceive their home as meaningful and useful, and who think that external influences are not responsible for their housing situation are more independent in daily activities and have a better sense of well-being. Moreover, these results apply to all five national samples. Implications: The findings can widen the perspective when striving for barrier-free building standards, to encompass a holistic approach that takes both objective and perceived aspects of housing into account. Home modification and relocation should not be prescribed, but need to be negotiated with older adults to take into account their personal preferences.
Avdelning/ar
Publiceringsår
2007
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
96-107
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
The Gerontologist
Volym
47
Issue
1
Länkar
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
Oxford University Press
Ämne
- Gerontology, specializing in Medical and Health Sciences
Nyckelord
- accessibility
- environmental gerontology
- person-environment fit
- well-being
- home
Status
Published
Projekt
- Home, Health and Disability along the Process of Ageing
Forskningsgrupp
- Sustainable occupations and health in a life course perspective
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 1758-5341