The benefit and burden of "ageing-in-place" in an aged care community

Abstract

Ageing-in-place is usually viewed as a positive approach to meeting the needs of the older person, supporting them to live independently, or with some assistance, for as long as possible. It implies that older people prefer to live in their own home, rather than in an institution or care centre. However, there is little in the literature about the implications of ageing-in-place for the individual or their carers, or the burden this can place on service providers and aged care communities. In an action research study that investigated the complexities and challenges of change in an aged care community in Western Australia, the implications of ageing-in-pace were apparent. The study revealed how residents expressed a desire to age-in-place and identified it as a critical element of quality of life and an important component of social connection. The findings also revealed the burden of ageing-in-place on carers, family and the organisation, and sufficient attention must also be paid to the wider impact on the individual, the family and carers.