What is the relationship between older people’s housing characteristics and their care needs?

Brimblecombe, Nicola ORCID: 0000-0002-6147-5726, Stevens, Madeleine ORCID: 0000-0003-3540-3494, Rajagopalan, Jayeeta, Hu, Bo, Cartagena-Farias, Javiera ORCID: 0000-0002-5984-0317 and Pharoah, Daisy (2024) What is the relationship between older people’s housing characteristics and their care needs? Journal of Aging and Social Policy. ISSN 0895-9420 (In Press)

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Abstract

Housing conditions and quality are well-established structural or social determinants of health. Poor quality housing also has potential to affect care needs but there is much less research on the topic, particularly on non-specialist housing. Based on analysis of in-depth interviews with 44 people aged 65 and older living in England, their unpaid carers (N=22), or as a carer-care recipient dyad (N=6), (total N=72), this study sought to explore the perceived relationship between people’s housing conditions and characteristics and their care needs. Findings indicate three key themes within this relationship: condition of home (cold and damp; state of repair; cleanliness and clutter); space and design (space, access); and legal relationship with the home (ability to carry out remedial work; precarity). There was variation in how and whether housing affected care needs by housing tenure, financial resources, and type and level of care need. Care needs can increase requirement for warmer, less damp homes and be a barrier to improving homes. In turn housing has a role to play in preventing occurrence or worsening of care needs. Improving housing through policy and practice actions could reduce care needs and improve the lives of older people now and in the future.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	© 2024
Divisions:	Personal Social Services Research Unit
Subjects:	H Social Sciences H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology
Date Deposited:	12 Aug 2024 14:18
Last Modified:	12 Aug 2024 16:33
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/124526

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