The Impact of Housing on Quality of Life: Does the Home Environment Matter Now and into the Future?

Along the continuum of living arrangements available in the United States, the home, a long-term private residence that is owned or rented, remains the primary context in which people choose to grow old, even for individuals with significantly compromised health (American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), 1990, 2003; Golant & LaGreca, 1994). As such, with age, the home takes on increasing importance as the principal context for socialization, leisure participation, as well as health care delivery (Binstock, & Cluff, 2000). The home as epicenter, particularly in very old age, is a persistent trend that is expected to increase now and into the future (Wahl & Gitlin, 2003).