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GNR 098
GNR 098
GNR 098
Cite journal as: The Gerontologist Vol. 52, No. 3, 357–366 All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
doi:10.1093/geront/gnr098 Advance Access publication on October 7, 2011
*Address correspondence to Janine L. Wiles, Social & Community Health, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
E-mail: j.wiles@auckland.ac.nz
Purpose: This study illuminates the concept of good” aspects and operate interactively far beyond
“aging in place” in terms of functional, symbolic, the “home” or housing.
and emotional attachments and meanings of homes, Key Words: Aging in place, Housing, Home and
neighbourhoods, and communities. It investigates community-based care and services, environment,
how older people understand the meaning of “aging Identity, Autonomy, Neighborhood, Meaning, Choice
in place,” a term widely used in aging policy and
research but underexplored with older people them-
selves. Design and Methods: Older people “Aging in place” is a popular term in current
(n = 121), ranging in age from 56 to 92 years, par- aging policy, defined as “remaining living in the
ticipated in focus groups and interviews in 2 case community, with some level of independence,
study communities of similar size in Aotearoa New rather than in residential care” (Davey, Nana, de
Zealand, both with high ratings on deprivation indices. Joux, & Arcus, 2004, p. 133). Claims that people
The question, “What is the ideal place to grow prefer to “age in place” abound (Frank, 2002)
older?” was explored, including reflections on aging because it is seen as enabling older people to main-
in place. Thematic and narrative analyses on the tain independence, autonomy, and connection to
meaning of aging in place are presented in this social support, including friends and family (e.g.,
paper. Results: Older people want choices Callahan, 1993; Keeling, 1999; Lawler, 2001).
about where and how they age in place. “Aging in Having people remain in their homes and commu-
place” was seen as an advantage in terms of a sense nities for as long as possible also avoids the costly
of attachment or connection and feelings of security option of institutional care and is therefore favored
and familiarity in relation to both homes and commu- by policy makers, health providers, and by many
nities. Aging in place related to a sense of identity older people themselves (World Health Organization
both through independence and autonomy and [WHO], 2007).
through caring relationships and roles in the places There is a strong focus on housing and support or
people live. Implications: Aging in place care in the aging-in-place research literature (Bayer &
operates in multiple interacting ways, which need Harper, 2000; Judd, Olsberg, Quinn, Groenhart, &
to be taken into account in both policy and research. Demirbilek, 2010). In the field of environmental
The meanings of aging in place for older people gerontology, Lawton (1982) emphasizes the role
have pragmatic implications beyond internal “feel of the interaction between personal competence