For anyone working with older adults, “aging in place” is a buzzword that you have heard over and over again. It’s a great concept, but what does it actually mean?
I got my inspiration (and most of my facts) for this column from a paper called “What Is Aging in Place? Confusions and Contradictions” by Ann Forsyth and Jennifer Molinksy¹. They note that aging in place is a policy goal for many governments and a personal goal for many older adults but one that is poorly defined and suffers from numerous misconceptions. We live longer than we used to, have fewer children, and have greater geographical mobility—all of this adds up to seniors being more isolated from natural systems of support.
Homes change over time, and not always in ways that are supportive for aging residents. Houses need repair work, communities change, and the needs of residents themselves change too—mobility challenges are common in older adults and only 4% of homes are livable for people with even moderate mobility difficulties². According to Brian, our senior outreach coordinator, approximately 75%-90% of seniors want to age in place, but only 21% of individuals ages 55 and older have taken action to prepare. He coordinates a program for us called “Safe At Home” that provides low-cost safety modifications like grab bars and toilet risers to help seniors remain safe in their homes. He also meets with older adults to discuss their options for housing, etc. as they age.
Forsyth and Molinsky discuss many topics related to aging in place, from rationales for moving and reasons for staying in place to the economic theories underpinning policy discussions. They eventually define seven objectives that one might have for aging in place—the part of the paper that I found most applicable to our work at SCCS. They are grouped as Place-related, Services Based, and Control:
Place-related: Never move, Stay put for as long as possible, Stay in the same vicinity/community.
Services based: Stay out of nursing homes, Not move between aged care facilities
Control: Have choices, live out a multifaceted policy ideal (meaning that seniors have a variety of choices for housing and can find the best fit for themselves)
On an individual level, thinking through these objectives may be useful to better understand your priorities and how to best accommodate them. Thinking through these objectives is also helpful on a policy level. We may find, for example, that money is better spent on providing local senior housing options within the community—a huge need in South County—rather than providing more expensive support for seniors living in private residences.
As the World Health Organization put it: “There are many ways for older people to age in place. Sometimes it means staying in place: that is, continuing to live in the same home. For others, it means moving to a home that is safer and more adapted to their needs while maintaining vital connections with their community, friends and family”³
Many seniors and policy makers see the phrase aging in place and assume that means never move. Although that is one possibility and completely valid for some, it is not the only objective and not always the most important. Control or staying out of nursing homes, for example, might be the actual goal, one that can be accomplished in various ways. Working through these allows us to both help seniors through important decisions and also find the best fit for services that support aging gracefully. If you are thinking through these options, always feel free to call South County Community Services for support or guidance! We know local options for both services and housing and are happy to help find the ones that are the best fit for you.
Footnotes:
- Ann Forsyth & Jennifer Molinsky (2021) What Is Aging in Place? Confusions and Contradictions, Housing Policy Debate, 31:2, 181-196, DOI: 10.1080/10511482. 2020.1793795
- Chan, S., & Ellen, I. G. (2017). Housing for an aging population. Housing Policy Debate, 27(2), 167–192.
- World Health Organization (WHO). (2015). World report on aging and health. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/ageing/events/world-report-2015-launch/en/
