In
my gerontology practice, the number one issue related to aging is whether to
relocate. For example, grown children
want to build on a granny suite or granny addition to the home. Or older adults
grapple with a decision to move near the grandkids. Or newly-widowed older adults want to move
near their children or friends. Of
course, numerous factors must be considered including financial, social, and
health status. I advise my clients to
NOT make any major decisions for at least a year following the death of a
spouse.
The
moving quandary is weighty, as in most cases, the decision is usually irreversible
due to health and financial constraints. Moving to be closer to grandkids? If this
decision is made with the assistance and approval of grown children, it is
often successful. However, moving to be closer to them without coordinating it
far in advance may result in them moving away, believing that parents are
burdening them with unwanted caregiver roles and/or grown children want to keep
their distance. Don’t just assume that
your grown children want you in their neighborhood, as that is a recipe for
disaster.
The
January/February 2020 issue of Aging
Today included an informative and captivating article related to relocation
and aging in place. The author, Stephen
M. Golant, Ph.D., is a leading scholar and seminal authority on aging in place,
long-term care, transportation, mobility, and housing. A former Fulbright Senior Scholar, Dr. Golant
is professor emeritus at the University of Florida, Gainesville. He authored, Aging in the Right Place (2015), a publication I recommend for
older adults, family members, students, policymakers, stakeholders, allied
health workers, medical professionals, and gerontology professionals. Here is a link to the Kindle book that
provides a summary of content: https://www.amazon.com/Aging-Right-Place-Stephen-Golant/dp/1938870336
Golant
(2020) cautions that older adults who believe they are “aging in place” may be “trapped
in place.” Aging in place, if not
planned well, may lead to becoming stuck or hemmed in, living in a place that
no longer meets active aging guidelines. Older adults typically do not leave home to
relocate, although younger cohorts assume that the lure of beaches and sunny
climate lures them away. However,
studies show that only 2% of older homeowners and 10% of older renters relocate.
Although the majority of older renters
and about a quarter of older homeowners spend 30% of their income on housing,
not including upkeep and repairs, they still resist moving. Homes age and residents age. Mobility, crime, cognitive declines, transportation,
and caregiving present unique challenges for the older population. Despite
these barriers, the overwhelming majority never move because they are
emotionally attached to their home, neighborhood, family and friends, and their
possessions. They desire privacy and independence. Finding new friends in old age
is daunting. Finding new healthcare
providers is unthinkable. Living among a lot of old people? The majority of
older adults don’t want that. Although these opinions are not my personal
views, we must understand how older adults think about relocating and
understand why 98% of homeowners and 90% of renters prefer “aging in place.” Lower-income older adults may want to move
and are unable to find affordable housing, especially the oldest old [85+]
needing assisted living.
According
to Golant (2020), four identified barriers may challenge future older adults from
remaining in their own homes:
1.
Rejection of technology and privacy
concerns. An example is the perception
of telehealth as impersonal.
2.
Fewer caregivers to meet the demand of
the expanding older population.
3.
Escalating and prohibitively costly
in-home care, modifications, technological devices, and assisted living
facilities.
4.
Increase in the oldest-old population
[85+] with high disability and numerous chronic conditions.
Reference:
Golant, S.M. (2020,
January/February). Aging in place – or trapped in place? Aging Today, xli(1), pp.
7, 10.
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