SPECIAL ISSUE PAPER

Understanding the Essence of Home: Older Peoples Experience of Home in Australia

_ 39..47

Desleigh M. de Jonge * , Andrew Jones , Rhonda Phillips2 & Magdalene Chung1

1 2

School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia Institute for Social Science Research and AHURI Queensland Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia

Abstract This qualitative inquiry explores the experiences of community-living older people in Australia living in their home environment. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 30 older people, aged 5690, from three states in Australia. Purposive or maximum variation sampling was used to recruit people with diverse characteristics in terms of age, gender, living situation, dwelling type, tenure and location (urban/rural). Older people in this study stated that they were interested in the capacity of the house to support their many and varied occupations, particularly their ability to care for others. They also enjoyed the independence and autonomy that living in their own home afforded them. The location of the home in the community provided general convenience and offered opportunities for social connectedness. The home environment and the surrounding community also created an ambience and afforded people a particular lifestyle. The importance of the history of the home environment and the emotional connection older people have with the dwelling was another prevalent theme. Future research is recommended to investigate whether these views of the home are representative of other groups of older people and which aspects of the home they seek to retain when adapting their homes or relocating. Copyright 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Received 21 September 2010; Revised 22 November 2010; Accepted 23 November 2010 Keywords home modication; gerontology; geriatric occupational therapy *Correspondence Desleigh M. de Jonge, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4068, Australia.

Email: d.dejonge@uq.edu.au

Published online 12 January 2011 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com) DOI: 10.1002/oti.312

Introduction
As a growing number and proportion of older people seek to age in place, occupational therapists are becoming increasingly concerned with enabling them to remain actively engaged in valued roles and meaningful occupations in the home and community (Iwarsson, 2004). The home environment is the context of many daily occupations, and is consequently the location for and the focus of a range of occupational therapy interOccup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ventions (Gitlin, 2003). Occupational therapy has long recognized the importance of remaining engaged in meaningful activities, and the role of the environment in supporting or hindering occupational performance (Law et al., 1996; Pedretti, 1996). However, it has less appreciation of how the home environment provides people with occupational opportunities, freedom and a lifestyle that allows them to enjoy being at home. Further, the profession has not yet developed an in-depth understanding of how this very personal and
39

Older Peoples Experience of Home

de Jonge et al.

complex environment affords people many experiences, which contribute greatly to their well-being, belonging and sense of self. The home environment holds a central place in the lives of older people (Dahlin-Ivanoff et al., 2007) as a context for many valued roles and activities (Haak, Fange et al., 2007). Time use studies reveal that older people spend the majority of their time engaged in personal care, domestic, leisure and social activities in and around the home (Horgas et al., 1998). More recent studies indicate that older people also engage in paid and volunteer work, study, caregiving and highly valued social roles such as family member and friend (McKenna et al., 2007). In particular, occupations that allow older people to be helpful or useful to others have been found to be important to older people (Haak, Dahlin-Ivanoff et al., 2007). Although primarily viewed as a place of personal care and domestic activities, the home environment supports a range of valued roles and occupations especially as people age and spend increasing amounts of time at home (Gitlin, 2003). Theories highlighting the impact of the environment on older peoples affect and adaptive behaviour (Lawton, 1982) and the mutual transaction between the person, occupation and environment (Law et al., 1996) have alerted occupational therapists to the role of the environment in occupational engagement and performance. It has been noted that traditional residential design architecturally disables people as they age (Hanson, 2001), resulting in signicant numbers of older people living in large, old homes that present ongoing challenges to their safety and independence (Tinker, 1999). Houses with stairs, narrow doorways and corridors, inaccessible toilets and bathrooms and limited space create disability (Oldman and Beresford, 2000; Heywood, 2004) and compromise the safety (Trickey et al. 1993; Stone 1998), independence (Frain and Carr, 1996) and well-being (Heywood, 2004) of older people. The physical design of the home can seriously constrain what older people can do and how they feel about themselves and their home (Heywood et al., 2002). Research conrms that older people greatly value their independence in daily activities (Haak, Fange et al., 2007) and engagement in valued and meaningful activities leads to greater life satisfaction (Johannesen et al., 2004). Furthermore, older people who are able to retain control over decisions experience better life satisfaction than those who are not involved in managing their affairs (Johannesen et al., 2004). For many older
40

people, home is one of the few remaining environments where they feel they have control over their lives (Haak, Fange et al., 2007) and can exert autonomy and control over their use of time and space (Peace and Holland, 2001). The social experiences arising from the rhythm of daily interactions with neighbourhood and community creates a social insideness where people feel they know each other well (Rowles, 1984, 2000). The social experiences of the home can often be the most important aspect of home for older people. Home has been described by humanistic geographers as place (Rowles, 1980; Hammer, 1999). Being in place or at home is dened as being in a state of existence, characterized by feeling comfortable or at one with ones environment (Rowles, 1991; Rowles and Watkins, 2003). These spaces also acquire meaning as the consciousness of past events accumulates (Rowles and Watkins, 2003). The memories of events become closely associated with the space transforming a house into a diorama of the familys history. Over time, as peoples connection with the home grows, and they establish a sense of permanence, they develop autobiographical insidedness where they become a part of the place and the place a part of them (Rowles, 2000). Environmental psychologists have explored the relationship between older people and their home environment, nding cognitive, behavioural and emotional aspects (Oswald and Wahl, 2005) lying on a continuum of place-related meaning (Rapoport, 1988). Low-level connections with the home are dened in terms of the utility it affords and the familiarity of the environment and the objects within it (Rapoport, 1988; Rubenstein, 1989). People then begin to personalize the environment and assign meaning to objects and features as they become associated with various people and events (Rubenstein, 1989). In high-level connections, objects and features become an extension of the self and subsequently, a representation of the self before merging with the individual to become a part of him or her (Rubenstein, 1989). The purpose of this study is to describe the aspects of home that are important to community-living older people in parts of Australia. This understanding into the lived experience of being in the home alerts occupational therapists to consider all aspects of this unique and very personal environment when providing services in the home or designing interventions directed at supporting doing.
Occup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

de Jonge et al.

Older Peoples Experience of Home

Method
Data for this qualitative study were collected as part of the Australian Housing and Urban Institute (AHURI) funded investigation into the experiences of older people who have received home maintenance and modication (HMM) services in three states across Australia, namely Queensland, Victoria and South Australia (Jones et al., 2008). A total of 30 older people with diverse characteristics were interviewed to gain an understanding of their experience of home, their expressed modication needs, their experience of home maintenance and modication services and their perceptions of the impact of modications on their lives. This study reports on the experiences of older people of their home environments. It uses a descriptive phenomenological approach to explore and describe the role of the home environment in older peoples lives.

Participants
Participants were identied via existing home modication services and purposively chosen to maximize the diversity of the sample in terms of age, gender, living situation, dwelling type and tenure and location (urban/rural). Thirty people aged 5690 years were invited to participate in the study, and a matrix was created to record the characteristics of the sample to ensure a range of characteristics were included. The sample was recruited from three states and territories namely Queensland, South Australia and Victoria to ensure representation of a diversity of home modication service delivery systems. Of the 30 participants interviewed, seven were men and 23 were women. Sixteen participants lived alone and 11 of the 14 couples participated in the interview together. Participants ranged from 56 to 90 years of age with the mean age being 77.9. While approximately half of the 30 participants had been living in their home for over 30 years, the other half had moved into their current home more recently, between 6 months and 23 years ago. A prole of the participants interviewed is shown in Table I. Pseudonyms have been used to protect the identity of the participants.

reasonable numbers of participants with different combinations of characteristics. Proles of potential participants were developed and distributed via home maintenance and modication services in the selected regions. Potential participants and people interested in the study contacted the researchers directly. Voluntaryinformed consent was gained from all participants and all data remained private and condential. This study was approved by the Behavioural and Social Sciences Ethics Research Committee of The University of Queensland. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the homes of participants by therapists with experience in narrative interviewing and providing home modication services. None of the participants had any previous or ongoing contact with the interviewers. Participants were asked a series of open-ended questions to allow less structured conversation or narrative to occur. The discussion centred around the length of time they had lived in the dwelling, who they lived with, what they considered to be important about the dwelling, what they liked about living there and how they mostly spent their time at home. Interviews were approximately 1 hour and were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data collection occurred over a period of 6 months with each participant being interviewed once in their own home.

Data analysis
Content analysis was undertaken on the transcripts by examining each line of text and identifying key statements. Since independent assessment of transcripts adds to the reliability of the data analysis (Pope and Mays, 2006), interview transcripts were read independently by each of the authors who identied key statements and assigned each a descriptive label. The authors then met to discuss recurring patterns and, through consensus, clustered these into emergent themes. QSR N-Vivo Version 1.2 (QRS International, Doncaster, Victoria, Australia) software (Qualitative Solutions and Research, 2000) was used to assist with data management.

Findings
Key themes were developed inductively from the 30 transcripts to reect the importance of the home environment in the lives of the participants. Five themes emerged: 1) capacity of the house to support valued
41

Data collection
A total of 30 older people were sought to ensure reasonable spread of characteristics of the participants and
Occup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Older Peoples Experience of Home

de Jonge et al.

Table I. Characteristics of the participants, n = 30 Person Janice Karen Harriett Stephan and Maria Shirley Tania Cynthia Margaret Clarissa Harriett Arthur Joyce Lenora Charles George Peter and Francis Rose Janet Judy Rhonda Genevieve Malcolm Maureen Martin Cassandra Alicia Michelle Margaret Sharon Doris Douglas Gender F F F F F F F F F F M F F M M M F F F F F M F M F F F F F F M Age 56 60 69 72 72 74 76 77 77 77 78 78 78 78 79 79 79 79 80 80 81 81 82 83 83 83 84 86 89 90 90 Living situation Alone With spouse (carer) With spouse (carer) With spouse Alone With spouse Alone With spouse Alone Alone With spouse With spouse (carer) With spouse (carer) With spouse Alone With spouse Alone Alone With spouse Alone Alone With spouse Alone With spouse Alone With spouse Alone Alone Alone Alone With spouse Dwelling type and location Rented unit, rst oor Two-storey house, 14 steps up, level access inside. Single-level house four bedrooms Single-storey house, level block, brick One-bedroom unit Low-set house Two-storey house, lives upstairs, shower over bath, level entry from street and carport, laundry upstairs. Two-storey house, lives with husband downstairs, son lives upstairs, four steps from bedroom to bathroom Low-set house slab on ground Unit High-set house 10 steps at rear, low at front, two steps down into lounge and sunroom Two-storey town house, three bedrooms Low-set house Single-level house Single-storey house on house acreage, level access from all sides Three-storey house on steep rising slope. Fifteen steps to back entrance, cluttered Ground oor one-bedroom unit, four steps with rail to entrance Low-set house One-storey house, gently rising slope, three bedrooms, rail at the front yard Ground oor unit Low-set house Ground oor unit Ground oor unit High-set house Ground oor unit House First-oor unit Double-storey house, all rooms upstairs, show over bath, toilet in bathroom, over toilet frame Low-set house Low-set house Low-set house

roles and meaningful occupations; 2) independence and autonomy; 3) social connectedness; 4) ambience of the home and lifestyle afforded; and 5) history and emotional connection with the home. 1) Capacity of the house to support valued roles and meaningful occupations A number of participants valued the convenience of the house and the layout of the rooms supported various occupations. I mean having the carport on the same level I can just bring shopping straight in there. The upstairs
42

laundry its part of the house and I havent got to go downstairs to wash because with the washing machine that means youre going up and down, up and down whereas here I can go on with something else and go back to the laundry again without any trouble. (Cynthia, aged 76) Having a home with the space to accommodate a range of activities was also seen as important. See, weve got the front bedroom as our main bedroom, the second bedroom is Laras artist room, the third bedroom is my ofce . . . Were
Occup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

de Jonge et al.

Older Peoples Experience of Home

using the whole house . . . Its a seven-room house and were using them all. (Alicia, age 83) An outside area also enabled participants to retain meaningful occupations such as gardening and looking after a much loved pet. The capacity of the home to accommodate visiting family and maintain valued roles was also highly valued. We have a proper house here with three bedrooms, which mean we can have our grandchildren back here to stay. So the house itself is ideal. (Harriett, age 77) The home also enabled participants to care for their loved ones in the way they liked. I can keep an eye on him . . . theres no one can do things for him like a wife can (Malcolms wife, aged 81)

stage and sort of make new friends again. Ive got all my support group around this area. So thats why I stay really. (Cynthia, aged 76) Participants also reported that they valued being close to social networks such as friends and family. I think the main thing I like about (my home) is just if I need help, my family are close. I mean, I think I was lucky to get the situation that I am close to the family because my daughter . . . pops in probably every second or third day just for a few minutes because its not far from, sort of, the main centres. (Shirley, aged 72)

4) Ambience of the home and lifestyle afforded Some participants appreciated feeling comfortable within the home, while others noted the importance of the environment surrounding the house to their experience of home. The garden, front garden and looking up at the sky and the back garden with the lovely birds . . . just sitting at the kitchen table and looking out at the garden at the birds (Tania, aged 74) Weve got the greenery. We could sit here and watch hundreds of butteries going round and round. You dont get that in a small unit, you get trafc noise instead. (Arthur, aged 78) The atmosphere afforded by the community was also identied as being important. When discussing her decision to live where she did, one participant noted. I have felt safe in this block of ats since I came here. Theres three single older women and a couple. There are ve older women including myself and a young Asian couple and I just dont feel threatened by the area. (Janice, aged 56)

2) Independence and autonomy Many participants prized the freedom and autonomy they experienced in their own home. I have freedom and I dont have to answer to anybody . . . (I do) what I want to do in my garden, in my house, when I want to do, what I want to do and all that. (Genevieve, aged 81). For one participant, remaining in her own home was central to her sense of independence. Ill ght till the last for that (to stay here) (Shirley, aged 72).

3) Social connectedness Many participants were pleased that their current home was well connected with community services. This included transport, shops and other facilities such as the bowls club, general practitioners and hydrotherapy pool. Well the house is central in position; its very close to the shops and transportation which is very good. We have got the railway of course; there is a good bus service along here. (Peter, aged 79) The importance of having helpful and friendly neighbours was acknowledged by many. Ive got all my network of friends in the area and I wouldnt like to have to move right away at this
Occup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

5) History and emotional connection with the house A number of participants were still living in homes in which they raised their own family. We had our twelve children here. It started as a nothing house and it
43

Older Peoples Experience of Home

de Jonge et al.

became our house . . . A home . . . Weve decided what rooms wed have and we built them over time (Lenora, aged 78). For some, this history provided rich memories of their past. Everything is lovely memories. . . . and I love it. Everything I look at memories. Happy memories. All happy memories (Tania, aged 74). Remaining in the family home was particularly important to one couple when the husband acquired a debilitating health condition and was dependent on the care of his wife. The home was a testament to her husbands previous roles and contribution to their familys comfort and security. The best part of the house is here because Martin did it (Martins wife, aged 83).

Discussion
This study provides a foundation for understanding ve aspects of home that are important to older people. While some traditional housing structures proved challenging, older people appreciated having rooms and outside areas to accommodate visiting relatives and friends, to do a variety of activities and to remain socially and occupationally engaged.

people to allocate rooms to enjoy meaningful activities and accommodate visiting family and friends. The capacity of the home to support older people in caring for loved ones and pets was also seen as an important aspect of the home. These ndings support previous research which identied home as the locus and origin of participation for very old Swedes who live alone in the community (Haak, Dahlin-Ivanoff et al., 2007). In particular, this study conrms Haak, Dahlin-Ivanoff et al.s (2007) ndings that older people value occupations which allow them to help or contribute to the lives of other people. However, it also provides an understanding of how the layout, as well as inside and outside spaces, contributes to older peoples ability to participate in a broad range of valued occupations such as leisure, social and caring activities.

2) Autonomy/independence The home environment is recognized as being central to maintaining peoples autonomy and independence (Heywood, 2005). For some older people in this study, it had become a symbol of their independence and autonomy. Its capacity to support their roles and occupations afforded them the freedom to do what they wanted, when they wanted. This conrms the perceptions of very old Swedes who also felt that home was a prerequisite to maintaining independence as it allowed them to retain control over when, how, where and what kinds of activities were performed even as their function declined (Haak, Fange et al., 2007, p.19). This control and freedom within the home is frequently compromised by in-home services, which often dictate when and how activities are undertaken thus intruding on the home as a place of control and autonomy and potentially compromising the individuals sense of self and satisfaction with life (Johannesen et al., 2004).

1) Support for roles and occupations While occupational therapy recognizes the role of the environment in supporting daily activities, little attention has previously been given to the importance of older peoples home environments in supporting valued social roles and occupations and other aspects of wellbeing. When providing services within the home or making changes to the environment, there is a concern that essential meanings and connections could be compromised when focusing primarily on issues of safety and independence (Heywood et al., 2002; Heywood, 2005; Tanner et al., 2007). Some researchers have found that home modications done without regard for the entire experience of home can impact negatively on peoples self-image and connection with the home as well as on their routines and sense of heritage (Heywood, 2005). For this reason, it is important occupational therapy practitioners consider adjustments in the home holistically, rather than focusing on specic performance issues related to personal care and domestic activities alone (Heywood, 2005). The convenience of the layout of the home contributed to the ease with which daily activities could be undertaken and the space available enabled older
44

3) Social connectedness Older people clearly value being in close proximity to transport and facilities and being well connected to services in the community. As found by Heywood (2005), older people regard a social network and a sense of security within a particular community as important aspects of home. However, while the locational requirements and convenience to community facilities has been long accepted as being important in supporting older people to remain living in the community (Stone,
Occup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

de Jonge et al.

Older Peoples Experience of Home

1998), the capacity of the home to accommodate social activities and overnight visitors has not been previously recognized. For many older people, the reason for remaining in a home that presents increasing challenges was to be close to family, friends and helpful, friendly neighbours. Very old people in Sweden have also described the importance of being among others, sharing experiences and linking with the outside world as it becomes more difcult to leave the home and access experiences in the community (Haak, Dahlin-Ivanoff et al., 2007). It would appear that supporting people to successfully age-in-place requires more than enabling people to perform routine tasks independently within the home. With the social aspects of home being so important to peoples experience of home, it is important that therapists also support older people to maintain social roles and remain connected to their community.

4) Ambience and lifestyle afforded As people age, they will likely spend an increasing amount of time at home. While lifestyle choice has been referred to in relation to housing adjustments for older people (Hanson, 2001; Clapham, 2005), it has not been acknowledged when looking to support people in their current home environment. Older people value a home that is comfortable, affords them a pleasant outlook and is located in a safe and supportive community. This research supports Rowles theory (1991) that people feel in place or at home when they are comfortable or at one with their environment. Little attention has been given to ensuring older people feel comfortable and safe in their home environment.

(Heywood, 2005). Study participants attachment to their homes was often very strong, especially for those who chose to remain living in the home in which they raised their families. Even older people who moved into a new abode in later life, had a strong connection with their new place of residence. For many older people, the home is a repository of cherished memories and provides a very life-enriching link with the past. For some, the home comes to symbolize who they are or represent who they once were and is therefore important to their sense of themselves. These ndings conrm the very strong personal relationship between older people and their environment described in concepts such as autobiographical insideness (Rowles, 2000) and embodiment (Rubenstein, 1989), which acknowledge the merging of the environment with the individual. Occupational therapy practitioners awareness of the depth of this relationship allows them to work closely with the householders so as not to disrupt or destroy aspects of their identity when introducing changes to the home and its routines. The relationship older people establish with their home raises questions about the capacity of therapists to make appropriate recommendations after a brief oneoff encounter and explain older peoples reluctance to accept recommendations which do not recognize the signicance of the changes being made to their home, their history and their image of themselves.

Limitations
While efforts were made to ensure a wide diversity of HMM, consumers were included among those interviewed, limitations in number (n = 30), age (two participants under age 65), place of residence (three Australian states) and the act of self-selection limit generalization of results. The ndings of this study may not reect the experiences or views of all people over 65 years. It should be noted that people from rural or remote communities were not included in this study. The consumers in this study had all accessed an HMM service, and therefore, the perceptions of older people who have not used an HMM service or who had utilized other resources, such as the family, have not been captured. Further studies are required to understand the views of older people with different priorities and cultural backgrounds. The depth and breadth of the responses, however, still provide a fuller understanding of the
45

5) Personal connection to the home Concerns have been raised about the aesthetics of home modications and the embarrassment and stigma that result (Auriemma et al., 1999; Hawkins and Stewart, 2002). Further, home modications often require objects of personal signicance to be removed to make room for adaptations, thereby diminishing the homely atmosphere of certain rooms (Lund and Nygard, 2004). Furthermore, exterior modications can make the resident vulnerable to ridicule or violence when their homes are recognized as being occupied by someone who cannot defend themselves against an intruder
Occup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Older Peoples Experience of Home

de Jonge et al.

consumer experience of home, thus informing policy, practice and further research.

Conclusion
Older people value a home that supports both their doing and being. They appreciate living in a home that allows them to remain engaged in valued roles and occupations, and affords them independence and autonomy. They consider the location of the home and the conveniences of transport and services critical to remaining socially connected. A comfortable home that offers a pleasant outlook within a safe and supportive community enables them to enjoy being home. Many also cherish the history they have with the home and the deep, emotional connection that develops as they become a part of the home and the home a part of them. Given the very complex and personal nature of the home environment, therapists need to ensure that they fully understand what older people value about their home so that they can preserve the essence of the home and older peoples enjoyment of being at home while promoting their doing and engagement in valued roles and occupations.

Acknowledgement
This research was supported by a grant from the AHURI 20335. REFERENCES
Auriemma D, Faust S, Sibrian K, Jimenez J (1999). Home modications for the elderly: implications for the occupational therapist. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics 16(2/4): 135144. Clapham D (2005). The Meaning of Housing. Bristol, UK: Policy Press. Dahlin-Ivanoff S, Haak M, Fange A, Iwarsson S (2007). The multiple meaning of home as experienced by very old Swedish people. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 14: 2532. Frain JP, Carr PH (1996). Is the typical modern house designed for future adaptation for disabled older people? Age and Ageing 25(5): 398401. Gitlin LN (2003). Conducting research on home environments: lessons learned and new directions. Gerontologist 43(5): 628637. Haak M, Dahlin-Ivanoff SD, Fnge A, Sixsmith J, Iwarsson S (2007). Home as the locus and origin for participation: experiences among very old Swedish people. OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health 27(3): 95103.
46

Haak M, Fange A, Iwarsson S, Dahlin-Ivanoff S (2007). Home as a signication of independence and autonomy: experiences among very old Swedish people. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 14: 1624. Hammer RM (1999). The lived experience of being at home. A phenomenological investigation. Journal of Gerontological Nursing 25(11): 1018. Hanson J (2001). From special needs to lifestyle choices: articulating the demand for third age housing. In: Peace S, Holland C (eds). Inclusive Housing in an Ageing Society (pp. 2954). Bristol, UK: Policy Press. Hawkins R, Stewart S (2002). Changing rooms: the impact of adaptations on the meaning of home for a disabled person and the role of occupational therapists in the process. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 65(2): 8187. Heywood F (2004). The health outcomes of housing adaptations. Disability and Society 19(2): 129143. Heywood F (2005). Adaptation: altering the house to restore the home. Housing Studies 20(4): 531547. Heywood F, Oldman C, Means R (2002). Housing and Home in Later Life. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press. Horgas AL, Wilms H-U, Baltes MM (1998). Daily life in very old age: everyday activities as expression of successful living. The Gerontologist 38: 556568. Iwarsson S (2004). Assessing the t between older people and their home physical environments an occupational therapy research perspective. In: Wahl H-W, Scheidt R, Windley P (eds). Focus on Aging in Context: Socio-Physical Environments. Annual Review of the Gerontological Society of America 23: 85109. New York: Springer Publishing Company, Inc. Johannesen A, Petersen J, Avlund K (2004). Satisfaction in everyday life for frail 85-year-old adults: a Danish population study. Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy 11: 311. Jones A, de Jonge D, Phillips R (2008). The Role of Home Maintenance and Modication Services in Achieving Health, Community Care and Housing Outcomes in Later Life: Research Report. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. Law M, Cooper B, Strong S, Stewart D (1996). The personenvironment-occupation model: a transactive approach to occupational performance. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy 63(1): 923. Lawton MP (1982). Competence, environmental press, and the adaptation of older people. In: Lawton MP, Windley PG, Byerts TO (eds). Aging and the Environment: Theoretical Approaches (pp. 3359). New York: Springer. Lund ML, Nygard L (2004). Occupational life in the home environment: the experiences of people with disabilities.
Occup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

de Jonge et al.

Older Peoples Experience of Home

Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy 71(4): 243 251. McKenna K, Broome K, Liddle J (2007). What older people do: time use and exploring the link between role participation and life satisfaction in people aged 65 years and over. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 54(4): 273284. Oldman C, Beresford B (2000). Home sick home: using housing experiences of disabled children to suggest a new theoretical framework. Housing Studies 15(3): 42942. Oswald F, Wahl H-W (2005). Dimensions of the meaning of home in later life. In: Rowles GD, Chaudhury HD (eds). Home and Identity in Late Life: International Perspective (pp. 2146). New York: Springer Publishing Company Inc. Peace SM, Holland C (2001). Inclusive Housing in an Ageing Society: Innovative Approaches. Bristol: Policy Press. Pedretti LW (1996). Occupational performance: a model for practice in physical dysfunction. In: Pedretti LW (ed.). Occupational Therapy: Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction (pp. 312). St Louis, MO: Mosby. Pope C, Mays N (2006). Qualitative Research in Health Care. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. Qualitative Solutions and Research (2000). N-Vivo 1.2 for Windows. Melbourne, Australia: Qualitative Solutions and Research. Rapoport A (1988). Levels of meaning in the home environment In: Poyatos F (ed.). Cultural Perspectives in Non-verbal Communication (pp. 317336). Toronto, Canada: Hogrefe. Rowles GD (1980). Towards a geography of growing old. In: Seamon D (ed.). The Human Experience of Space and Place (pp. 5572). New York: St Martins Press.

Rowles GD (1984). Aging in rural environments. In: Altman I, Lawton MP, Wohlwill JF (eds). Elderly People and the Environment (pp. 129157). New York: Plenum. Rowles GD (1991). Beyond performance: being in place as a component of occupational therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy 45: 265 271. Rowles GD (2000). Habituation and being in place. The Occupational Therapy Journal of Research 20 (Supplement 2000): 52S67S. Rowles GD, Watkins JF (2003). History, habit, heart and hearth: on making spaces into places. In: Schaie K-W, Wahl H-W, Mollenkopf H, Oswald F (eds). Aging Independently: Living Arrangements and Mobility (pp. 7796). New York: Springer. Rubenstein RL (1989). The home environments of older people: a description of the psychosocial processes linking person to place. Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences 44(2): 545553. Stone JH (1998). Housing for older persons: an international overview. Technology and Disability 8(12): 9197. Tanner B, Tilse C, de Jonge D (2007). Restoring and sustaining home: the impact of home medications on the meaning of home for older people. Journal of Housing for the Elderly 22(3): 195215. Tinker A (1999). Ageing in Place: What Can We Learn from Each Other? Melbourne, Australia: The Sixth F. Oswald Barnett Oration. Trickey F, Maltais D, Gosslein C, Robitaille Y (1993). Adapting older persons homes to promote independence. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics 12(1): 114.

Occup. Ther. Int. 18 (2011) 3947 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

47