Lack of preparation could crush older Australians’ dreams of remaining at home
New nationwide research conducted by the Global Centre for Modern Ageing® (GCMA) has found that older Australians’ desire to remain living at home increases with age, however, the majority of people have not done enough to modify their properties, creating the risk they will be forced to make unwanted accommodation decisions under duress.
Released by the GCMA in the report Ageing in the Right Place, An Australian Perspective, the research found that despite wanting to stay at home, just 17% of the older Australians surveyed thought their home would require repairs or modifications to enable them to do so.
Even amongst those who were experiencing difficulties at home, only 40% of respondents acknowledged the need for home modifications.
CEO of the GCMA, Julianne Parkinson, said the Global Centre for Modern Ageing® reached out to more than 1000 Australians to understand:
What ‘ageing in the right place’ means;
The importance and meaning of home;
Attitudes towards staying at home, moving home and making home modifications; and
Perceptions of, and experiences with, community services and facilities.
The GCMA’s national research identified an opportunity for industry to provide greater public education around home modifications to help people understand their needs, the options available to them and the processes involved before decisions are rushed or forced.
“For people who have identified the need to make changes around their home, our research identified key barriers to home modifications, including affordability and being able to find trusted builders and tradespeople,” Ms Parkinson said.
“The right industry partners could encourage earlier and more prudent conversations about home modification before an emergency arises.”
Ms Parkinson said older people increasingly want to remain living in their own home.
“The GCMA’s research revealed that almost two-thirds of those aged 75-plus think they will stay in their home, which is double that of the youngest cohort surveyed (55-64 years),” she said.
“Helping people to remain independently in their homes is increasingly important. However, we know that this may not always be possible, so it is also critical to understand how ‘home’ can be created in any place of residence.”
Drawing on the Ageing in the Right Place research, the GCMA has created a House-Home-Haven framework, which facilitates thinking around how physical houses can be transformed into haven-like environments. To assist in this transformation, the research identifies seven distinct needs that determine the ‘right’ place for people as their circumstances change.
The seven identified needs of the ‘right’ place are Choice, Safety, Comfort, Access, Independence, Connection and Happiness.
Ms Parkinson said the House-Home-Haven framework could serve as a guide for individuals and families and could also assist industry to take a more client-centric approach when developing commercially viable homes, retirement villages and aged care facilities that enable quality living and improve world standards.
She said as aged care providers addressed the need for sectoral reform in the wake of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Ageing in the Right Place research and the House-Home-Haven framework would provide a helpful insight.
Ageing in the Right Place is a key area of focus for the GCMA and the organisation will further explore the topic through workshops with industry and citizens.
Download a copy of the Ageing in the Right Place report.
