What Do We Mean When We Talk About ‘Aging in Place’?

“Aging in place” is a personal goal for many older people and a policy goal for many governments. But the phrase appears to have multiple (often unstated) definitions and motivations, according to Ann Forsyth, the Stanton Professor of Urban Planning at GSD, and Jennifer Molinsky, a Center senior research associate, who are both researching issues related to housing and older adults. The different definitions include remaining in one’s longtime home in older age, moving to a new home with the plan of remaining there for the foreseeable future, or even living anywhere that is not a nursing home. The different motivations include lowering costs of care, prolonging independence of older adults, maintaining older adults’ control over their living situations, and/or promoting the health of older adults. In this talk, Forsyth and Molinsky will use their research to discuss what the diverse concepts and motivations mean for both public and scholarly discourse on the increasingly important question of where and how older people live in an aging society.

Bring your lunch, dessert provided

This event is part of our Housing Research Seminar Series, which is held on Fridays at lunchtime during the academic year. (Our apologies, this seminar will not be livestreamed.)