Seniors’ Desire to Age in Place Remains Overwhelmingly Popular

Published in Home Health Care News - by Joyce Famakinwa, September 27, 2021

The COVID-19 emergency has only strengthened the desire seniors have to age in place - an already favorite position among older adults. In fact, over 90% of seniors prefer to remain in their homes as opposed to moving into an assisted living facility, a new survey from American Advisors Groug (AAG) found.

"For seniors, the comfort, safety and independence of their home outweigh the desire to move," Martin Lenoir, chief marketing officer at AAG, said in a press conference. As part of its survey, AAG polled over 1500 participants between the ages of 60 and 75, gathering data that examined how meaningful "the home" is to U.S. seniors.

Overall, about 70% of seniors have severe needs for long-term services and supports, according to the Global Coalition on Aging. With this in mind, one key take-away from the AAG survey finding is that there are still business opportunities for home based-care providers looking to increase market share.

Aside from wanting to remain in their home, 82% of respondents have no concrete plans to ever sell their home or move away, according to the survey. For the majority of seniors, the desire to remain in their homes is related to safety concerns and the need to retain independence. Specifically, 83% of of respondents stated they feel safer at home compared to elsewhere, and 40% said their independence is the most important benefit of aging in place.

Family life is another factor that plays a role in respondents wanting to age in place. More than 50% of seniors have an "emotional attachment" to their homes because it reminds them of their family.

While aging in place has always been popular among seniors, the public health emergency has solidified this sentiment, with 50% of seniors stating that their desire to stay home is even stronger now.