Relationships between housing and healthy aging in very old age.
OBJECTIVE
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 well-being. Furthermore, this research examined the comparability of relationships between housing and healthy aging in the five European countries.


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.


CONCLUSIONS
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.
Oswald
Frank
F
Department of Psychological Ageing Research, Institute of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Bergheimer Str. 20, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany. frank.oswald@psychologie.uni-heidelberg.de
Wahl
Hans-Werner
HW
Schilling
Oliver
O
Nygren
Carita
C
Fänge
Agneta
A
Sixsmith
Andrew
A
Sixsmith
Judith
J
Széman
Zsuzsa
Z
Tomsone
Signe
S
Iwarsson
Susanne
S
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001107:Architectural Accessibility; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction