Poll: Americans Want to Age in Place, But May Lack Supports

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (April 15, 2022)—Almost 90% of adults aged 50-80 want to age in place, but few have thought about what modifications their home might need to make that possible, according to a survey from the University of Michigan.

And only one in three said their home “definitely” would let them remain there as they age.

The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging surveyed more than 2,200 randomly selected adults from across the country in January of February of this year. Sixty-two percent of respondents said aging in place was “very important” and 26% called it somewhat important. Twelve percent said it wasn’t important to them.

“The findings from this poll suggest that while most older adults feel it is very important for them to stay in their home as long as possible, many are not prepared to age in place,” the survey summary reads. “While about four in five older adults think their homes either definitely or probably have the features for them to be able to age in place, many reported their homes did not have common accessibility features, and nearly half reported they had given very little, if any, consideration to what home modifications would be needed.”

The most common accessibility items respondents said they have at home were:

• Main floor bathroom (88%)
• Main floor bedroom (78%)
• Door frames wide enough for a wheelchair (54%)
• Shower chairs or benches (36%)
• Raised toilet seats (36%)
• Grab bars in bathroom (32%)
• Lever-style door handles (32%)
• Home entrances with ramps or no stairs (19%)
• Barrier-free shower (7%)

More than a quarter of the respondents—28%—reported living alone, 33% said they didn’t have someone who could help them with personal care. Some 43% said they were not confident in their ability to pay for personal or home services if needed.

“Successfully aging in place typically requires adequate social support in addition to having a home that is accessible,” the report wrote. “While some older adults have strong social connections within their family and community, others are more isolated and do not have people in their life they can rely on for help with personal care, household chores, grocery shopping, or managing finances, particularly those who live alone.”