Environmental barriers,functional limitations,and housing satisfaction among older people in Sweden: A longitudinal perspective on housing accessibility

Abstract

This study aimed at describing environmental barriers in housing and functional limitations among older community-living people in Sweden, to provide knowledge of housing accessibility problems from a longitudinal perspective, and to shed some light on older people's subjective reflections on housing. Along with a study-specific questionnaire on subjective reflections on housing, the Housing Enabler was used for data collection at home-visits (N=72), at baseline and six years later. At follow-up nearly all interviewees were content with their present home, and few answered that they planned to relocate. The prevalence of barriers was rather stable, and most of the changes over time indicated less environmental barriers, particularly indoors. Still, because of increased prevalence of functional limitations over time the magnitude of housing accessibility problems increased. In order to reduce needs for relocation, detailed information about the nature of the environmental barriers causing accessibility problems over time is useful. The results should be interpreted keeping in mind that they are country-specific for Sweden, while results of this kind should be valuable for development of strategies for removing environmental barriers in older peoples' homes.