Older Australians Want To Remain In Home, Don’t Want to Live With Kids

Do the large homes that seniors have in Australia make aging in place more challenging?  The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute found 84 per cent of homes occupied by older Australians aged 55 and over would be considered too big by international occupancy standards.  The majority of older Australians are living in three-bedroom homes on large suburban lots that would be regarded as under-utilized by international standards.  The study found that older Australians are nervous about retirement villages based upon lifestyle issues, cramped living quarters, bad experiences reported by others and concern about the costs involved.  According to the study, seniors want to have homes that are easily modified at low costs or new homes specifically designed for challenges of independent living in their homes.

“Despite statistics that indicate their homes are too big, more than 90 per cent of older Australians say they want to remain in their own homes with the support of professional services,” said Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute executive director Dr Ian Winter.

Advertisement

The national study of 1604 older home owners found that while most people would prefer to remain in their own homes:

  • 63 per cent were prepared to consider entering a retirement village in the event of developing a disability or increased need for assistance
  • 56 per cent were prepared to enter a development for seniors in such circumstances
  • Only 18 per cent would consider living in their children’s homes

For more detail, visit:  Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Policy Bulletin

Advertisement