Ageing in the right place – a prototype of a web-based housing counselling intervention for later life

Abstract

Background: Despite a strong desire among most older adults to age in place, there are few widely available services to support planning and preparing for one’s future housing needs.

Objective: To develop a prototype of a web-based housing counselling intervention for use in later life, by employing a user-centred design.

Material and Methods: As the first step in intervention development, we employed a development process based on research circle methodology. Nine older adults participated in three sessions. Findings from literature reviews, a meeting with a technology and design panel (n = 6) and interviews with representatives of nonprofit organizations, companies, and municipalities (n = 7) served as discussion points.

Result: An on-paper prototype was derived, composed of the THINK, LEARN and ACT module reflecting different stages of the decision-making process. Each module addressed preferences, health, home and social and financial resources. Key design features and theoretical underpinnings were included.

Conclusion and Significance: A user-centred design process can result in services that are aligned with older adults’ preferences for obtaining housing information. Services for planning and preparing future housing needs have the potential to increase older adults´ well-being at home as well as reduce costs for care and housing provision by the municipalities.

Keywords:

• Relocation
• home modifications
• decision-making
• housing preferences
• community-living
• assisted living facilities
• nursing home
• user-centred
• research circle methodology

Acknowledgements

We thank all participants in the research circles, the technology and design panel and the representatives of companies and non-profit organisations with knowledge of housing needs who contributed to this study. We also extend our thanks to Östersund municipality who provided us with accommodations.

Disclosure statement

All authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Data availability

The data supporting the findings can be accessed by contacting the first author.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Swedish Research Council Financial FORMAS under Grant 942-2015-403; the Crafoord Foundation under Grant 20160604; the Helge Ax:son Johnsons Foundation; and the Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Sweden.