Providing for the Housing Needs of the Elderly

Abstract

The elderly, who constitute an important segment of housing markets in cities in the United States and elsewhere, have distinctive needs that require careful attention from community planners. In this article, we review what is known about housing design and other factors that affect the well-being of older people, and we develop and test a conceptual model for explaining variation in three housing outcomes of importance to the elderly—social interaction, fear of crime, and satisfaction with housing livability. Drawing on previous research and on analyses of data collected for this article from ten housing developments in Durham, North Carolina, we offer recommendations regarding the location, design, and management of housing for the elderly.