Relationships Between Housing and Healthy Aging in Very Old Age

TLDR

The study investigates how objective and perceived housing characteristics relate to healthy aging—defined as independence in daily activities and subjective well‑being—across five European countries. Researchers analyzed data from 1,918 very old adults (aged 75–89) living alone in urban homes in Sweden, Germany, the UK, Hungary, and Latvia, collected via home interviews as part of the ENABLE–AGE project. Better home accessibility, perceived meaningfulness and usefulness, and a sense of personal control over housing were associated with greater independence and well‑being, a pattern consistently observed across all five national samples, suggesting that barrier‑free standards should incorporate both objective and perceived housing aspects and involve older adults in modification decisions.

Abstract

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 well-being. 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.