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The creation of age-friendly environments is especially important to frail older people

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 December 2016

JANE M. CRAMM ,
HANNA M. VAN DIJK  and
ANNA P. NIEBOER
JANE M. CRAMM*
Affiliation:
Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
HANNA M. VAN DIJK
Affiliation:
Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
ANNA P. NIEBOER
Affiliation:
Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
*
Address for correspondence: J. M. Cramm, Institute of Health Policy and Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The preference of older people when it comes to ageing in place may be modified by levels of frailty. The aim of this research is to characterise the relationship between frailty and ageing in place, and to identify differences in neighbourhood characteristics supporting ageing in place missed by frail and non-frail older people. A concurrent nested mixed-methods approach was used. For quantitative evaluation, a sample of 945 independently living older adults residing in four districts of Rotterdam were asked to complete a questionnaire in 2013 (response rate = 62%; N = 558). In addition, 32 interviews were conducted with frail and non-frail older people. Results showed that gender, age and especially frailty were related to missed neighbourhood characteristics. People displayed awareness of their increasing frailty and often acknowledged that it increased the need for neighbourhood characteristics enabling them to age in place. We can conclude that dependence on neighbourhoods varies with frailty status. This relationship is dynamic; with frailty, older people become more dependent on their neighbourhood. However, expectations regarding neighbourhood characteristics seem to dissipate with advanced age and increasing frailty.

Keywords

ageing in placefrailtyperson–environment fitneighbourhood attributessocial environmentphysical environment
Type
Articles
Information
Ageing & Society , Volume 38 , Issue 4 , April 2018 , pp. 700 - 720
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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