This international study explored a simple but often overlooked question: what do older adults themselves say they need from their homes and neighbourhoods to live well?
We began with a literature review focused on older adults’ own perspectives on their living environment and on social sustainability — themes such as inclusion, everyday social contact, and reducing loneliness, as well as proximity to certain services such as drugstore or grocery store. Only studies that involved older adults as participants were included. This was intentional: too often, housing and care decisions are shaped by the assumptions of professionals rather than by the people who live with the outcomes.
To deepen this understanding, we interviewed experts from Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. They shared their views on current housing trends — some shaped by national policies, others visible across countries. A shared theme was clear: as more people wish, or are expected, to age at home, we must look beyond specialist or care housing and consider how general housing can better support later life.
The project resulted in three main outputs:
• a Swedish housing policy document
• an international literature review
• a presentation summarising expert interview findings
The insights also informed new work by students at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, who used the results to develop a Programme of Requirements for future housing complexes.
Together, these materials offer an accessible overview of what older adults value in the places they live — and why listening to their experiences matters as we design more socially sustainable communities.