PPA 419 Aging Services Administration

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PPA 419 Aging Services Administration

• Lecture 7b Residential Settlement Patterns

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Source

• Golant, S. M. (2002). Deciding where to live The
  emerging residential settlement patterns of
  retired Americans. Generations, 26(2), 66-73.

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Introduction

• Retirement is a pivotal life event that causes
  millions of people in their early 60s to reassess
  whether their current residential situation will
  be consistent with new lifestyle, work, family,
  and housing realities.
• Life course theoretical models refer to these
  potential residential adjustments as the first
  move.

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Introduction

• First move characteristics.
• Most stay at current address initially.
• A smaller percentage move into planned
  communities.
• Another group moves into unplanned communities
  predominantly occupied by their age group.

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Introduction

• Driven by demographic changes.
• During the 1990s, greatest percentage growth
  occurred in mid 70s and mid 80s.
• Focus of policy on vulnerable and frail elderly.
• Decrements in health prompted second and third
  moves
• During the 2000s, greatest percentage growth in
  55-64 age group.
• New focus on younger retirees.

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The Emergence of DOUERs

• The next two decades will see an increasingly
  greater number and share of townhouses, apartment
  buildings, subdivisions, neighborhoods, towns,
  communities, and even small cities that are
  predominantly occupied by older Americans.
• Called DOUERs (Deliberately Occupied but
  Unplanned Elder Residences).

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The Emergence of DOUERs

• DOUERs will be created by two trends.
• Aging in place
• Older people deliberately selecting location
  because of its reputation as a highly desirable
  place for older adults to live.
• Diverse populations.
• Movers more educated, higher-income,
  self-reliant, optimistic.
• Agers in place lower-income habituated to poor
  physical conditions with no hope of change.

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The Emergence of DOUERs

• Used to be called naturally occurring retirement
  communities (NORCs).
• But not naturally occurring. The results of
  deliberate decisions.
• Not really communities defined as shared
  interests.
• May not be retired.

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Aging in Place

• Factors increasing likelihood of aging in place.
• Older homeowners have traditionally shown a
  reluctance to change residences and locations.
• Home equity only available for catastrophic
  circumstances.
• Aging of older suburbs and their populations
  aided by more available transportation.
• Most own transportation.
• More have learned to drive.
• Fewer with physical and mental disabilities.
• More technological gadgetry.
• Suburbia closer to services.

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Aging in Place

• Factors increasing likelihood of aging in place.
• As the chronological eligibility for Social
  Security is raised, more seniors may opt to work
  longer.
• Desire to remain in labor market may keep seniors
  from moving.

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Moving to Elder Enclaves

• When older people do change residences, most
  relocate to nearby communities, often in the same
  counties.
• Baby boomers may be even more inclined to stay
  close to friends and family.
• Most of the growth in western and southern
  smaller and medium-sized cities.
• When they do move they no longer move to the big
  four (Florida, California, Arizona, and Texas.
• By 1990, the states included New Jersey,
  Washington, Virginia, and Georgia.
• Relocating to locations with universities and
  small communities offering conventional
  affordable housing and recreational
  opportunities. Lower crime and less pollution,
  lower cost of living.

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Elders in PERCs

• Planned elder residential complexes (PERCs).
• Congregate housing.
• Assisted living.
• Continuing-care retirement communities.
• Planned communities range from the simple
  residential subdivision containing a few hundred
  homes and offering only a clubhouse and a
  swimming pool to the large, self-contained
  recreation-rich retirement towns.

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Elders in PERCs

• Active-adult retirement communities are
  specifically built and marketed to older people
  seeking the features of a planned community.
• Generalization is difficult, but
• PERCs found increasingly in locations other than
  the warm climates of Florida, Arizona, and
  California.
• Dwellings in the communities have become
  increasingly upscale.
• The new occupants are demanding more services,
  amenities and programs.
• Resident profile is also different. More
  affluent, single, younger
• As residents age, older communities have had to
  retrofit.
• Developers also changing with more financial
  institutions involved.

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Elders in PERCs

• Future generations may be more inclined to move
  into PERCs
• Higher self-esteem, higher status, Baby boomers.
  Less of a negative stigma to communities.
• Familiar way of living with increasing frequency
  of gated communities.
• Marketing may also target alternative ethnicity
  and sexual orientation.