Health trajectories among older movers.
OBJECTIVE
To examine health trajectories among older migrants by reason for move.


METHODS
Data from the 1992 to 2006 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) are used to model trajectories of self-rated health and activity of daily living (ADL) limitations that occurred prior seven types of moves.


RESULTS
There are substantial differences across the reason-for-move groups in initial levels of self-rated health. Declines in self-rated health among nursing home movers are more than two times steeper than the other reason-for-move groups. Employment, comfort, economic security, life crisis, and affiliation movers have low initial levels of ADL limitations and slow increases in ADL limitations. Health and nursing home movers have higher initial ADL limitations and increases in ADL limitations that are three and seven times higher respectively than the other groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The results are consistent with the predictions of Litwak and Longino's (1987) typology of later-life migration and the extant literature on later-life migration. Implications for communities are considered.
Wilmoth
Janet M
JM
Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA. jwilmoth@maxwell.syr.edu
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012923:Social Class; D014171:Transients and Migrants