Abstract
BackgroundWhile housing and neighborhood features have the potential to impact opportunities for active aging, there is a lack of knowledge related to how older people reason regarding their housing situation and how housing and fulfillment of relocation are associated with active and healthy aging.ObjectiveThe objectives of Prospective RELOC-AGE are to study housing choices and relocation and explore effects on active and healthy aging among men and women aged 55 years and older in Sweden considering relocation.MethodsThe estimated sample (2800) will include people aged 55 years and older being listed for relocation at either of two housing companies: a local public housing company in Southern Sweden and a national condominium provider. Prospective RELOC-AGE has a 2-level longitudinal mixed methods design and includes quantitative surveys (implemented by a professional survey company) and a telephone interview for baseline data collection in 2021, with follow-ups with the same procedures in 2022 and 2023. The survey and interviews include questions related to present housing and neighborhood, relocation plans and expectations, a range of perspectives on active and healthy aging, and demographics. Linking to national registers will provide additional data on home help and health care use, objective housing, and neighborhood characteristics. To explore what housing attributes older adults considering relocation find important and to what extent when making their decisions on housing, we will develop a discrete choice experiment to be implemented with a subsample of participants. Further, a grounded theory approach will be applied to collect in-depth interview data from participants who have moved to another dwelling, within 6 months of the move. A follow-up interview 12 months later will focus on participants’ deepened experience over time in terms of fulfilled expectations and relocation experiences.ResultsAs of submission of this protocol (June 2021), recruitment has commenced with approximately 960 respondents to the survey and ongoing telephone interviews. We anticipate recruitment and data collection based on surveys and interviews to continue during 2021.ConclusionsProspective RELOC-AGE has the capacity to generate new policy-relevant knowledge on associations of housing, relocation, and active and healthy aging. Such knowledge is relevant for the development of proactive approaches to housing in old age on the individual, group, and societal levels.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04765696; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04765696International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/31137
Highlights
BackgroundPrevious research on housing and aging has mainly concerned frail older adults and their needs for residential care toward the end of life
According to the public debate, older people in general are interested in housing options that support active and healthy aging
Comprehensive studies on housing options in later life incorporating health and social factors as well as factors related to the built environment and housing are lacking [1], and little is known about when and how people start to reflect and act upon housing choices and relocation as they age
Summary
BackgroundPrevious research on housing and aging has mainly concerned frail older adults and their needs for residential care toward the end of life. Comprehensive studies on housing options in later life incorporating health and social factors as well as factors related to the built environment and housing are lacking [1], and little is known about when and how people start to reflect and act upon housing choices and relocation as they age. A British panel study showed that moving to residential housing was associated with higher mortality in the 12 months among people aged 65 years and older, especially among men [4]. While housing and neighborhood features have the potential to impact opportunities for active aging, there is a lack of knowledge related to how older people reason regarding their housing situation and how housing and fulfillment of relocation are associated with active and healthy aging
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
