scholarly journals LIFE SPACE MOBILITY AND NEIGHBORHOODS: HOW HOME MODIFICATIONS IMPACT AGING IN PLACE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S249-S249
Author(s):  
Alan DeLaTorre ◽  
Ivis García ◽  
Julianne Reno ◽  
Ja Young Kim ◽  
Keith Diaz Moore

Abstract This presentation details a mixed methods study funded by the National Institute for Transportation and Communities that was conducted with 50 older adults aged 65 and older who lived in Portland, Oregon (n=25) and Salt Lake County, Utah (n=25). The purpose of the study was to improve understanding of how home modifications affect older adults’ mobility in different life-spaces (e.g., one’s bedroom, neighborhood), their understanding of aging in place and neighborhood, and their ability to age in place. During each home visit, a series of research protocols (i.e., surveys, interviews, mapping exercises) were carried out with each participant. The study found that home modifications (e.g., grab bars, replacing showers with bathtubs, and adding raised toilets) were reported to increase in-home mobility and, for some, their independence; however, for certain participants, those same modifications were less useful, especially to those with the need for caregiver supports. Life-space mobility outside the home was impacted by home modification such as ramps and railings on stairs; for some, those modifications bolstered social connections and access to services. Overall, home modification were seen as enabling both mobility and aging in place. Furthermore, respondents’ understanding and description of their neighborhoods varied greatly and were influenced by mobility barriers (e.g., presence of sidewalks and crosswalks) and available amenities.

Author(s):  
H. Shellae Versey ◽  
Serene Murad ◽  
Paul Willems ◽  
Mubarak Sanni

Neighborhoods within age-friendly cities and communities are an important factor in shaping the everyday lives of older adults. Yet, less is known about how neighborhoods experiencing change influence the ability to age in place. One type of rapid neighborhood change occurring across major cities nationally and globally is gentrification, a process whereby the culture of an existing neighborhood changes through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. Few studies have considered the impact of gentrification on older adults, who are among the most vulnerable to economic and social pressures that often accompany gentrification. The current study explores one consequence of gentrification, indirect displacement. While gentrification-induced displacement can refer to the physical (e.g., direct) displacement of residents moving out of a neighborhood due to rising housing costs, it also references the replacement of the unique character and social identity of a neighborhood (e.g., indirect displacement). We examine perceptions of the latter, characterized by perceived cultural shifts and housing concerns among adults aging in place in a gentrifying neighborhood in New York City. The implications of indirect displacement for displacement risk and aging precarity are discussed as potential threats to aging in place in age-friendly cities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 560-560
Author(s):  
Yeon Jin Choi

Abstract Promoting age-friendliness of communities and supporting aging in place (AIP) are of great importance in aging societies. However, little is known about the mechanism linking home and neighborhood features, older adults’ global assessment of community, and their willingness to age-in-place despite the importance in developing policies and interventions. This study used the 2015 AARP Age-Friendly Community Survey, which includes 66 home and neighborhood features under the eight domains specified by the WHO’s Age-Friendly Cities Guidelines. A series of linear regression models were estimated to examine the interrelationship between the availability of age-friendly features in eight domains, perceived age-friendliness of community, and intention toward AIP. Overall, a greater availability of age-friendly features was positively associated with perceived age-friendliness of community and AIP intention. The relationship between age-friendly features and AIP intention was mediated by perceived age-friendliness of community (50.3% to 96% of the total effects). When perceived age-friendliness of community was introduced to models, the direct effects of housing, outdoor spaces and buildings, and transportation domains remained significant. Findings suggest that a greater availability of age-friendly features influence older adults’ perception on their community, leading to the development of a desire to age-in-place. Domains of housing, outdoor spaces and buildings, and transportation may be the most importance features in promoting age-friendliness of community and the key determinants of aging-in-place. Policy makers and practitioners may need to prioritize promoting age-friendly built environment before social environment in building age-friendly communities.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Hu

PurposeThe majority of older Australians prefer living in their own home. Home modifications support older adults' ageing-in-place through mitigating environmental hazards of their home, and there is an increased interest in modifying older adults' residential environment in sustainable ways. However, an in-depth understanding of sustainability perceptions of home modification service providers (HMSPs) is lacking in Australia. Thus, the study aims to address this research gap.Design/methodology/approachQualitative content analysis was adopted to identify sustainability perceptions through analyzing the retrieved home modification business information from the selected HMSPs' official websites. The results of qualitative content analysis were further analyzed by using independent-samples t-test and chi-square contingency table analysis to investigate the relationships between HMSP type and sustainability.FindingsIn total, 54 sustainability perceptions were identified, with the crucial ones being safe living environment, independent living and service diversity. Overall, there are no significant differences in sustainability perceptions between charitable and non-charitable HMSPs. Nevertheless, charitable HMSPs place more importance on social sustainability in comparison with non-charitable HMSPs.Originality/valueThe study results facilitate understanding about HMSPs' sustainability perceptions and sustainable home modifications in the ageing society, which facilities theory advancement and industry practice in the home modification area.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S635-S635
Author(s):  
Emily Nabors ◽  
Mindy Renfro ◽  
Jon Pynoos ◽  
Sarah L Szanton ◽  
Jon Sanford ◽  
...  

Abstract The overwhelming preference of older adults is to stay in their homes for as long as possible (AARP). However, most housing lacks supportive features and presents barriers that jeopardize residents’ ability to successfully age in place. Only 1% of houses have five key features to ensure accessibility: no-step entry, single-floor living, lever door handles, accessible electrical controls, and extra-wide doors and hallways (Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies), making the vast majority unsuitable for persons who use wheelchairs and problematic for the growing number of people with activity limitations. Persons least likely to have such features in their homes need them the most: old-old, low income, frail, and residents in older housing stock. Although home modification can support people as their needs change and preclude the need to move, often to institutional settings, the majority of older adults lack these supports. Recent studies have demonstrated the role of home modification in health, safety, and cost effectiveness. This symposium will convene a panel of researchers to share evidence-base in home modification, recent cost-saving innovations including the CAPABLE Program, and policy change to improve service delivery.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S26-S26
Author(s):  
Kathy Black

Abstract The majority of Americans overwhelmingly prefer to age in place and in the communities in which they reside. Age-friendly communities support aging in place by focusing attention on features both inside and outside of the home. The global age-friendly community model provides a framework that requires assessing community-based older adults’ needs and preferences about, and developing subsequent action towards, features of the social, service and built environment including housing and transportation which are considered essential to aging successfully at home. This presentation discusses the intersect between research, policy and practice in an age-friendly community which utilized micro-level findings from older adults (n = 1, 172) to enact macro-level collaborations across local and statewide government and professional groups to facilitate aging in place across the domains of housing and transportation.


2021 ◽  
pp. 153944922110222
Author(s):  
Juleen Rodakowski ◽  
Tracy M. Mroz ◽  
Carrie Ciro ◽  
Catherine L. Lysack ◽  
Jennifer L. Womack ◽  
...  

Older adults may benefit from interventions to successfully age in place. Research has an opportunity to test interventions and implementation strategies to fulfill the needs of older adults through collective evidence building. The purpose of this article is to describe the proceedings of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) 2019 Planning Grant Collective and describe the areas of research that were identified as critical. The AOTF convened scientists with expertise in the area of aging in place to catalyze research on aging in place for older adults. Four priority areas in the aging in place literature were highlighted: (a) identification of factors that support aging in place, (b) classification of processes by which family members and care partners are included in aging in place efforts, (c) categorization of technology supporting older adults to age in place, and (d) development of science that clarifies implementation of evidence-based practice.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 709-709
Author(s):  
Christine Sheppard ◽  
Tam Perry ◽  
Andrea Austen ◽  
Sander Hitzig

Abstract As cities around the globe plan for current and future older cohorts, there is a need to explore innovative housing models to help older adults age in place. This paper presents findings from an action-research academic/community partnership on a new service model at Toronto Community Housing, the second largest social housing landlord in North America and home to 27,000 older adults. As Toronto works to improve delivery of housing/support services, more knowledge was needed to understand the inadequate and inconsistent delivery of services to tenants. Interviews/focus groups with older tenants and service providers (N=116) identified challenges related to unit condition (e.g., pest control) and tenancy management (e.g., arrears), and that the fragmentation of housing and health services negatively impacts older tenants’ abilities to access supports and age in place. The presentation will conclude with discussion of planning and policy decision making approaches relevant to both Canadian and American contexts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 39-39
Author(s):  
Neda Norouzi

Abstract The United States Department of Health and Human Services (2017) estimates that there are 65 million people age 60+ residing across the fifty states. A national survey conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) indicates that 76% of people ages 55+ prefer to age-in-place and live independently (2018). The Census Bureau American Community Survey (2015) estimates that 13 million adults have difficulties living independently, 80% of which receive assistance in their private homes. However, only 50% of these homes meet the physical needs of people who choose to age-in-place (AARP, 2018). Recent advancements in technology have led to the development of smart homes. Technology can support aging-in-place and independent living by offering necessary tools for building systems that identify behavioral patterns and offer automated decision-making. However, not all older adults are customed to using technology or comfortable with being monitored with artificial intelligence (Wang et al., 2019). In response to this concern, the current study used grounded theory framework to analyze 62 interviews of people ages 55-93 to indicate if and how older adults prefer to utilize technology in their homes. The results of the study presented that while some older adults felt they might be too old to learn and use technology, nearly 85% of the interviewers agreed that incorporating technology in the built environment could benefit them. They are especially willing to learn and use technology in their homes when the benefits are related to their health, social and emotional connection, entertainment, safety, and daily chores.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 873-873
Author(s):  
Manish Kumar ◽  
Laura Richman

Abstract Neighborhoods play a central role in healthy aging, with changes to neighborhoods having a profound impact on older adults’ ability to age in place. Using gentrification as an indicator of neighborhood change and applying the theoretical framework of the Environmental Press model (Lawton and Nahemow, 1973), this study examined the relationship between changing environments, affordable housing, and environmental attributes that support and hinder the health and well-being of older adults. A qualitative, case-study approach was used to interview low-income, majority Black older adults in a gentrifying area of Washington DC. 32 individuals (16 in non-profit and 16 in for-profit affordable housing) aged 55 and older participated in semi-structured interviews on perceptions of gentrification, neighborhood change, and challenges and supports to aging in place. Transcripts were then analyzed using the framework method of analysis. Although participants generally reported that gentrification improved their neighborhood’s built environment, many attributed it to a decline in social capital. Affordable housing provided an ability to age in place, though participants expressed uncertainty over their long-term ability to age in the context of continuing change. These findings suggest that while the physical changes accompanying gentrification may support older adults’ ability to age in place, its detrimental impact on social capital further increases their risk for social isolation. While affordable housing may enable older adults to age in place, fostering a greater sense of permanence and well-being will require additional policies that both increase accessibility to the physical amenities provided by gentrification and preserve older adults’ social capital.


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