Home
HOME ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Services
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
The Gerontologist 43:99-109 (2003)
© 2003 The Gerontological Society of America

The Living Conditions of Elderly Americans

Sandra Newman, PhD1

Purpose: This article profiles the housing settings of frail elderly individuals, whether their homes are facilitating or impeding their ability to live in the community, and the change in disability and housing status before and after passage of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. Design and Methods: The analysis relies primarily on statistical analysis of the 1995 national American Housing Survey (AHS), with supplementary analysis of the 1978 AHS. Results: In 1995, roughly 14% of elderly individuals had a "housing-related disability," 49% had at least one dwelling modification, and 23% had an unmet need for modifications. Because half those with dwelling modification also reported unmet need, the match between disabling condition and modification, not the presence of modifications, is key. Multivariate results indicate that although unmet need is greater among the poor, lack of modifications is not. Prevalence of modifications nearly doubled between 1978 and 1995. Overall unmet need declined, but some needs were less likely to be met in 1995 than 1978. Implications: The analysis highlights the importance of information about housing for understanding the care and service needs of elderly individuals and provides a compelling argument for a minimum dataset on their housing and neighborhood environments.

Key Words: Housing • Dwelling modifications • Unmet needs




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Family and Consumer Sciences Research JournalHome page
M. Ahn, J. O. Beamish, and R. C. Goss
Understanding Older Adults' Attitudes and Adoption of Residential Technologies
Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, March 1, 2008; 36(3): 243 - 260.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
AJPHHome page
R. T. Wilson, G. A. Chase, E. A. Chrischilles, and R. B. Wallace
Hip Fracture Risk Among Community-Dwelling Elderly People in the United States: A Prospective Study of Physical, Cognitive, and Socioeconomic Indicators
Am J Public Health, July 1, 2006; 96(7): 1210 - 1218.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
AJPHHome page
R. F. Schoeni, L. G. Martin, P. M. Andreski, and V. A. Freedman
Persistent and Growing Socioeconomic Disparities in Disability Among the Elderly: 1982-2002
Am J Public Health, November 1, 2005; 95(11): 2065 - 2070.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical SciencesHome page
E. M. Andresen and D. K. Miller
The Future (History) of Socioeconomic Measurement and Implications for Improving Health Outcomes Among African Americans
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., October 1, 2005; 60(10): 1345 - 1350.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]




HOME ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2003 by The Gerontological Society of America.