ABSTRACT
A common theme within the gerontological literature is the strong desire of older people to live at home despite personal impairments or declines in environmental quality. Data regarding the living arrangements of older adults shows that most older people live in a household either alone or with a spouse. In fact, about 85% of all older people live in ordinary homes in ordinary communities and 75% own their homes (Parmelee and Lawton, 1990). It is expected that the number of elderly occupied households will increase given the increased number of older people in the population and the rising cost of institutionalization. This growth in households maintained by older persons underscores the need to attend to the housing needs of this population.
