The health consequences of relocation among the aged in the community.

Abstract

A review of the literature of health consequences of relocation among the aged indicates that there may be substantial differences due to (a) the type of housing environment the individual enters and (b) the degree of voluntarism associated with the move. Recognizing the need for research on this subject among the aged moving within the community at large, this study utilizes longitudinal data from a national sample of older people to examine how moving affects health. Using several measures of health status, the findings indicate that moving adversely affects the health and daily functioning of older people in the community. In addition, the deleterious effects of moving on personal health exist whether the move is voluntary or involuntary. Based on the review of the literature and the findings of this study, it is suggested that the benign effects of older people's moving into senior housing facilities is due to the prevalence of physical and social supports in such settings.