Middle aged and older adult's perspectives of their own home environment: A qualitative meta-synthesis

Background: Most people prefer to remain in their homes and communities as long as possible. Staying at home is widely beneficial as ageing within the home promotes independence and costs less than residential aged care. Understanding meanings and drivers of remaining at home is an area of importance. Objective The objective of this systematic review was to describe middle and older aged adult’s perspective of their home environment and concept of home to determine the factors that are important when making decisions about future housing. Methods This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for reviews of qualitative evidence. Meta-aggregation was used as the method of synthesis. Included qualitative studies involved middle and older aged adults and their views about ageing and housing. Published studies were identified in four electronic databases and grey literature. Critical appraisal and extraction were conducted using JBI tools, then aggregated into synthesized findings. Results A total of 46 papers with 5413 perspectives on the concept of home were included. Factors impacting on future housing decisions among individuals were revealed. Seventeen synthesized findings emerged - independence, finances, stigma, attitudes towards ageing, attachments with home, aesthetics, and family connection. Conclusion Financial positions contributed to housing decisions, suggesting the need to increase new ‘in-between’ housing options. Older people’s values should be incorporated to assist planning future housing needs, rather than on the physical characteristics. Funding changes are required for older people to access appropriate support for home modifications