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Forget "downsizing", think "rightsizing" to meet older people's housing needs and aspirations
In the UK, many older people live in homes that are probably too big for their needs and budgets. If they were encouraged to downsize, and also given the choice of housing that would make downsizing appealing, they might well be persuaded to sell their home to a family who actually needs that sort of space.
2016
Is Housing of Importance to Mental Health?
Poor housing quality is often associated with poor physical health such as respiratory illness from dampness, but the impact of housing on mental health should not be underestimated. Under the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, housing would fall under the bottom 2 tiers as in Figure 1, as a place to fulfil basic needs of warmth, rest, security and safety.
2016
Themes:
Chinese Demographics and Aging, Health, and Place
China faces the need for major reforms in healthcare capacity, coverage, affordability and access for rural populations, migrant workers, and an increasingly aging population.
There is a need for more diversity in housing types, increased public infrastructure, and innovative social welfare programs for the rapidly growing aged population, who may no longer be able to depend on children or govern
2015
Themes:
Housing Older Australians: Loss of home ownership and pathways into housing assistance
In Australia and other ‘homeownership societies’ it has been conventional to think of housing pathways in terms of a smooth linear progression, leading to outright ownership in middle age and a retirement buffered by low housing costs. This vision of the welfare role of home ownership is an important buttress of Australian retirement incomes policy.
2015
Seniors in Spain are saying no to nursing homes
Examining the rise of co-housing and elderly housing co-operatives in Spain as alternatives to aged care facilities.
2015
Seniors downsizing on their own terms: Overcoming planning, legal and policy impediments to the creation of alternative retirement communities
It seems there are as many reasons for seniors making downsizing decisions as there are individual seniors. Some common themes have emerged however. First, despite the tacit encouragement of downsizing in Australia and elsewhere, most seniors resist moving in order to downsize.
2015
A Home of One's Own: Shared Equity Housing for Older Single Women
This project was established to research and develop a shared equity model of home
ownership, specifically geared to the needs of lower income women over the age of
55 years.
2015
Housing Decisions of Older Australians
The growing longevity and ageing of Australia’s population, as well as other structural and demographic changes, elevate the policy imperative to understand what drives the housing decisions of older people and the consequences for their wellbeing. This study aims to explore the drivers of those decisions, as well as some of the barriers to better outcomes.
2015
Themes:
Relationships between perceived aspects of home and symptoms in a cohort aged 67- 70.
The importance of the home environment increases with age. Perceived aspects of home influence life satisfaction, perceived health and independence in daily activities and well-being among very old people. However, research on health and perceived aspects of home among senior citizens in earlier phases of the aging process is lacking.
2015
Themes:
An Age Friendly City – how far has London come?
The Institute of Gerontology has undertaken this research. It follows their study for the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2006: What makes a city age-friendly?
2015
Themes:
"There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort."