Housing the elderly in new communities

[摘要] The growth of the elderly population in America has rapidly increased since the beginning of the twentieth century, primarily due to increasing life expectancy and decline in the birth rate. Because of their numbers alone, the elderly deserve greater consideration and concern than they have had in the past. The concept of this thesis concerns the housing of the elderly in the new community as both logical and desirable. Many of the elderly in existing communities do not possess a valuable community life as such and are segregated by living in an unsuitable environment. Because of a lack of alternatives, many are forced to remain in their present housing situation. Recognition of the need for elderly housing and recognition of the effects of physical and psychological characteristics of the elderly on housing needs give insight to the nature of the problem of elderly housing. Because of the Increasing numbers of new towns being developed in the United States, there will also be an increasing need to provide housing in these new towns for the elderly who moved to the new town at an earlier age and have grown old there and for those elderly who are attracted to come to live in the new town. The new community offers the opportunity for provision of a better living environment for the elderly through availability of adequate services and facilities and of a variety of housing types to fit the varied needs of the elderly. The primary goal in housing the elderly in the new town Is to provide a living environment that will encourage the continued growth and development of the elderly individual in the community. To fulfill this goal this thesis outlines certain criteria for the placement of housing for the elderly in the new community.

[发布机构] Rice University