Kohon Jacklyn, Carder Paula
Urban Studies and Planning, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, United States.
Institute on Aging, Portland State University, P.O. Box 751, Portland, OR 97207, United States.
J Aging Stud. 2014 Aug;30:47-55. doi: 10.1016/j.jaging.2014.02.006. Epub 2014 Apr 17.
This study focused on meanings of health, housing, independence and aging among low-income adults age 55 and older who live in, or are on a waiting list for, publicly subsidized rental housing. The purpose was to learn how low-income older adults perceive their independence and health, and how their place of residence contributes to these perceptions, as well as related perceptions of self. Qualitative data were collected using in-person narrative interviews with 45 individuals and a second photo elicitation interview with 31 of these persons. Themes describe how disrupted identities influence subjective thoughts about the aging process, housing, health, and finances, the process of clinicalization, and place identities. These findings highlight the relationship between housing status, dignity, and shifting identities as older adults experience the aging process in a low-income context. This study expands the current scholarship on the relationship between environment and aging as well as our understanding of poverty among older persons. These topics are relevant for new policies and programs to support the aging in place of older persons in subsidized housing. Understanding the life worlds of those who live in or have applied to this form of housing will be instrumental in developing such strategies.
本研究聚焦于年龄在55岁及以上、居住在公共补贴租赁住房或正在等待此类住房的低收入成年人对健康、住房、独立和衰老的认知。目的是了解低收入老年人如何看待他们的独立性和健康状况，以及他们的居住环境如何影响这些认知，以及与之相关的自我认知。通过对45人进行面对面的叙述性访谈，并对其中31人进行第二轮照片引发访谈，收集了定性数据。主题描述了身份认同的混乱如何影响对衰老过程、住房、健康和财务、临床化过程以及场所身份的主观想法。这些发现凸显了在低收入环境中，随着老年人经历衰老过程，住房状况、尊严和身份认同转变之间的关系。本研究扩展了当前关于环境与衰老关系的学术研究，以及我们对老年人贫困问题的理解。这些主题对于支持老年人在补贴住房中就地养老的新政策和项目具有重要意义。了解居住在这种住房形式或已申请此类住房的人群的生活世界，将有助于制定此类策略。
