Conversations about Community, Connection to Place, and Housing Preferences among Aging Adults in Lexington, Kentucky.

While many researchers have called for housing to be addressed in age-friendly cities and communities, little research exists to guide communities through this process. To maximize the potential for adults to age in place, researchers partnered with a local Age-Friendly community initiative to conduct focus groups and learn more about residents' preferences related to housing and residential space. The focus group data offered a glimpse into aging residents' perspectives on housing to inform planning and development of housing in a mid-size city. This second phase of a sequential mixed methods study included qualitative focus groups with 19 aging individuals. Focus group sessions sought to better understand previously identified housing preferences, aging adults' sense of community, and their connection to place. Findings suggest that aging participants cared not only about the physical structure of their home, but also the community-based aspects of where they live. Study implications suggest that social workers, working with and alongside community members and aging-service providers who have local knowledge, can support age-friendly housing models that consider the housing preferences of older residents, as well as the resources and limitations of their community.

Identifying Aging Adults' Housing Preferences: An Age-Friendly Initiative.

Community planning around housing needs of older adults is, at present, very understudied. This study stemmed from a practical need to determine the housing preferences of residents as part of an Age Friendly Community initiative. Data presented in this paper focus on the quantitative component of a sequential mixed methods study examining attitudes and preferences about housing. This first phase of this project involved data collected from 1,514 residents aged 30+ using a researcher-devised survey of 43 items. There was little difference in housing preferences between older and younger respondents or among those with varying financial means. Analysis revealed the most important housing considerations were safety in home, affordability, privacy, proximity to services frequently used, and accessibility. An unexpected finding was that almost half of older respondents expressed a willingness to share a home with a roommate. There were also differences in preferences on home environment based on current marital status. Data suggests that city planners and property developers should prioritize these preferences when planning for the housing-related needs of older residents. Future research should examine the interpretation of housing preferences, such as qualitative exploration of what it means for housing to be "safe" or 'affordable.'