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The Gerontologist 47:96-107 (2007)
© 2007 The Gerontological Society of America

Relationships Between Housing and Healthy Aging in Very Old Age

Frank Oswald, PhD1, Hans-Werner Wahl, PhD1, Oliver Schilling, PhD1, Carita Nygren, PhD2, Agneta Fänge, PhD2, Andrew Sixsmith, PhD3, Judith Sixsmith, PhD4, Zsuzsa Széman, PhD5, Signe Tomsone, PhD(c)6 and Susanne Iwarsson, PhD2

Correspondence: Address correspondence to Frank Oswald, Department of Psychological Ageing Research, Institute of Psychology, University of Heidelberg, Bergheimer Str. 20, 69115 Heidelberg, Germany. E-mail: frank.oswald{at}psychologie.uni-heidelberg.de

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.

Key Words: Environmental gerontology • Person–environment fit • Accessibility • Home • Well-being




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 GerontologistHome page
S. Iwarsson, H.-W. Wahl, C. Nygren, F. Oswald, A. Sixsmith, J. Sixsmith, Z. Szeman, and S. Tomsone
Importance of the Home Environment for Healthy Aging: Conceptual and Methodological Background of the European ENABLE-AGE Project
Gerontologist, February 1, 2007; 47(1): 78 - 84.
[Full Text] [PDF]

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 GerontologistHome page
C. Nygren, F. Oswald, S. Iwarsson, A. Fange, J. Sixsmith, O. Schilling, A. Sixsmith, Z. Szeman, S. Tomsone, and H.-W. Wahl
Relationships Between Objective and Perceived Housing in Very Old Age
Gerontologist, February 1, 2007; 47(1): 85 - 95.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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