Attitudes of Housing Professionals Toward Residential Options for the Elderly

Abstract

In response to the need to house the older population, a variety of alternatives have surfaced. However, these have been met with disparate responses-favorable from older consumers, but negative from some housing professionals. This research was conducted to better understand the attitudes of housing professionals toward various alternatives for the elderly. Randomly selected housing professionals practicing in a Midwestern county responsed to a mailed questionnaire addressing their knowledge of the older population and attitudes toward senior housing options. Results show few respondents had accurate information about seniors. Additionally, while housing professionals were highly aware of traditional housing alternatives, they were less familiar with more innovative options. Further findings reflect that some groups of housing professionals are significantly less likely than others to support innovative housing options. Suggestions are made for developing educational programs for housing professionals.