Learning from older adults: The wholeness of aging in the right place

Abstract

Maxine Ho, AIRP Vancouver Undergraduate Research Assistant, talks about her experiences interviewing older adults experiencing housing precarity and living in affordable independent rental housing for the ‘Aging in the Right Place’ research project.

The idea of healthy aging has long been examined using biomedical approaches to look at the process of aging in the physical body (Bacsu et al., 2014). While these approaches are informative and help us understand the experience of aging physically, listening to the lived experiences of what it means to age in the right place highlights the importance of cultural and social experiences in aging.

Through our conversation with [a participant], we understand that the experience of older adults in affordable housing is complex, and it involves multiple aspects that contribute to her feeling of aging in the right place. Being able to give back to society, maintaining a positive mindset, and connecting with those around her all contribute to her sense of aging in the right place. This is why she feels that no matter where she goes, she is aging in the right place.