Considering the home environment and planning for the future: A qualitative exploration of the views of older adults and individuals with older relatives
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Date
2023
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Dalistan, R.
George, S.
Laver, K.
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Journal article
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Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2023; 30(7):1167-1179
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Roslyn Dalistan, Stacey George and Kate Laver
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Abstract
Background: Successful ageing-in-place is dependent on the design and features of the home. In some cases, home modifications or relocation may be required. Accessible, affordable, agefriendly housing for older adults is required to encourage forward planning. Aims/objectives: To understand the views of middle and older aged adults and individuals with older relatives, about home safety, ageing in place and housing accessibility. Material and methods: A qualitative descriptive approach, using reflexive thematic analysis was used. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 16 participants, comprising eight middle- older aged people and eight individuals with older relatives. Results: Seven themes were identified. Most participants accepted the ageing process and could recognise home environment hazards and potential future housing needs. Others were determined to remain independent at home and resistant to making future changes until necessary. Participants were interested in obtaining more information about how to improve home safety or services to support ageing-in-place. Conclusion: Most older adults are open to conversations about planning for ageing-in-place and would like further information on home safety and home modifications. Educational forums and tools (such as flyers or checklists) which assist older people to plan future housing needs are recommended. Significance: Many older people are living in homes that present hazards and limited accessibility as they age. Earlier planning could lead to home modifications which will improve the capacity to age in place. Action to provide earlier education is needed as the population ages and suitable housing for older people is limited.
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© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync- nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.