Can aging-in-place be promoted by the built environment near home for physical activity: a case study of non-Hispanic White elderly in Texas

With an emphasis on environmental factors correlated with physical activity, this research investigates environmental influences on aging-in-place measured by the number of years living at home after age 65 and before moving to a senior-living institution. It clarifies that aging-in-place can be promoted by nearby outdoor environments supportive of physical activity and the significant environmental factors exist at both the residential lot and neighborhood levels. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey completed by 206 senior-living older adults in Texas, who were not living in a traditional community setting anymore. Geographic information systems were used to objectively measure the physical environments of 117 sample sites. Twenty-five environmental features at residential lot and neighborhood levels were investigated. To compare the lengths of aging-in-place among participants with different environmental factors near their community dwellings, ANOVA tests were applied. Non-Hispanic White participants who had walkable environments, wide side areas on residential lots, and destinations for walking in neighborhoods maintained residence at home an average of 3.53-year longer than their counterparts (p < 0.01). Developing supportive environments for older adults’ physical activities near home may help them achieve and maintain a balance between their functional abilities and their living environments, thereby leading to more years of aging-in-place. This research fills a research gap by investigating environmental influences on aging-in-place through physical activity. The findings are expected to have a direct impact on both design and planning of environments for older adults.