Influence of Late Life Stressors on the Decisions of Older Women to Relocate into Congregate Senior Housing

Abstract

Late-life stressors often require individuals to make substantial alterations in behavior and lifestyle and can affect their overall health and well-being Relocation is a significant life stress regardless of age. The primary aim of this study is to elucidate the push-pull factors associated with moving into congregate senior housing. The secondary aim is to investigate the decision-making processes and stresses associated with moving into a congregate living environment. Interviews were conducted with 26 women who were new residents in congregate senior housing. Relocation, as expected, was considered to be stressful although individual differences were found among perceptions of relocation stresses. Women who had made the decision to relocate on their own showed evidence of better psychosocial well-being at the time of the move. One-quarter of the sample chose to move in order to provide care to another person. As the options for senior housing continue to evolve and the numbers of adults reaching advanced age continue to increase, it is important to understand the factors that contribute to successful adaptation. This knowledge will enable facility administrators to implement programs and procedures to assist incoming residents with acclimating to their new homes.

Choosing between staying at home or moving: A systematic review of factors influencing housing decisions among frail older adults

“…Over half were published after 2005 (n = 50) [ 10 , 21 – 23 , 25 – 39 , 44 , 46 – 48 , 51 , 53 , 55 – 58 , 60 – 62 , 64 – 66 , 68 , 69 , 71 , 74 , 77 , 78 , 80 , 81 , 84 – 86 , 88 , 90 – 92 , 96 , 98 , 99 , 106 ]. Over three quarters of independent studies were conducted in the USA (n = 48) [ 21 , 24 , 31 , 33 , 36 – 38 , 40 – 43 , 47 , 51 , 54 , 55 , 57 , 58 , 62 , 63 , 65 – 67 , 70 , 71 , 73 , 75 , ...…”

“…Most common disciplinary affiliations were thus with psychology, occupational therapy and economics. Two-thirds of the studies (n = 57) were either signed by one author (n = 30) [ 29 , 40 , 46 , 49 , 59 , 62 – 65 , 68 – 70 , 72 , 74 , 76 , 80 , 93 – 95 , 97 , 100 – 108 , 110 ], by co-authors in the same discipline (n = 18) [ 10 , 41 – 45 , 52 , 54 , 55 , 67 , 73 , 75 , 83 – 85 , 90 , 96 , 99 ], or by co-authors in the same research domains (n = 9) [ 33 , 47 , 48 , 51 , 57 , 58 , 77 , 87 , 98 ]. Among the remaining 29 studies (34%), 21 were co-signed by authors from two different research domains [ 21 – 25 , 28 , 30 , 34 , 36 , 39 , 50 , 53 ,…”

“…On the other hand, 30% of the studies were qualitative [ 31 , 33 , 34 , 39 , 46 , 48 , 49 , 51 , 57 , 58 , 62 , 65 , 70 – 72 , 74 , 79 , 81 , 91 , 92 , 96 , 102 , 103 , 105 , 107 , 109 ]. Eight studies used mixed methods [ 22 , 23 , 25 – 28 , 35 , 47 , 54 , 61 , 100 , 101 ].…”

“…In about two-thirds of the studies (n = 57), most factors influencing the housing decision were reported by study participants or by researchers through interviews, census questionnaires or observational grids [ 10 , 30 , 31 , 34 – 36 , 38 , 39 , 42 – 44 , 46 , 48 – 58 , 60 , 62 , 63 , 65 , 66 , 69 – 72 , 74 , 78 – 81 , 86 – 96 , 98 – 100 , 102 , 103 , 105 , 107 , 109 , 110 ]. Sixteen other studies referred to factors being objectively measured [ 29 , 37 , 40 , 41 , 45 , 59 , 64 , 67 , 68 , 73 , 75 – 77 , 82 , 85 , 97 ] and 13 combined both self-reported and objectively measured data [ 21 – 28 , 32 , 33 , 47 ...…”

Peer bullying in seniors’ subsidised apartment communities in Saskatoon, Canada: participatory research

“…Low-income seniors, in particular, experience significant challenges to aging in place in their previous family homes due to financial constraints limiting maintenance or needed adaptations of their living environments (Stone 2013(Stone -2014. These individuals are often confronted with limited choices for appropriate and affordable housing, particularly in the face of factors such as declining health, the need for companionship, the desire to be free from home maintenance and a wish to avoid burdening family create the need to relocate from their previous residence (Oswald et al, 2002;Krout et al 2002, Bekhet et al 2009, Ewen & Chahal 2013, Wu et al 2015. Higher probabilities of having to relocate from the family home are associated with older age, low education, lower social class and living in rural or socially deprived areas (Wu et al 2015).…”