Frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites: a mixed-methods study
Abstract Background When older people have limited physical ability, several difficulties could arise from a built environment that is not appropriate for their needs, especially when they live alone without cohabiting with their relatives. The study explores how frail older people with functional l...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | BMC Geriatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06083-5 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849767368963653632 |
|---|---|
| author | Maria Gabriella Melchiorre Marco Socci Giovanni Lamura Sabrina Quattrini |
| author_facet | Maria Gabriella Melchiorre Marco Socci Giovanni Lamura Sabrina Quattrini |
| author_sort | Maria Gabriella Melchiorre |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background When older people have limited physical ability, several difficulties could arise from a built environment that is not appropriate for their needs, especially when they live alone without cohabiting with their relatives. The study explores how frail older people with functional limitations are ageing in place alone and how they perceive and manage the built environment, i.e., housing (home and building) and neighbourhood, with regard to both urban and rural sites. Methods Data were collected for the main IN-AGE “Inclusive Ageing in Place” study, which was carried out in 2019 in Italy. For this paper, semi-structured interviews involving 40 participants aged 65 years and over in the Marche Region (Central Italy) were processed, and a mixed-methods analysis (quantitative/qualitative) was conducted. Simple quantitative/descriptive elaborations (univariate and bivariate analyses) were integrated with thematic content analysis. Results The findings suggested, among others, the following issues: high costs for managing the home, poor relationships with neighbours in some cases, scarcity of proximity services especially in rural sites, and the presence of architectural/mobility barriers, even though the latter are little perceived when inside the home. Moreover, the majority of seniors were emotionally attached to their living place, although feelings of loneliness and isolation emerged, also following depopulation in rural areas. Conclusions Despite the small/not representative sample size, the results highlight how, a built environment that is perceived as inadequate, could hamper ageing in place and participating in communities for frail seniors. This could be managed with appropriate interventions to be implemented taking into account the diversity between rural and urban sites. Clinical trial number Not applicable. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4cb2c6915f5746e8a32d5a1f313f5249 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2318 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj-art-4cb2c6915f5746e8a32d5a1f313f52492025-08-20T03:04:15ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182025-07-0125112210.1186/s12877-025-06083-5Frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites: a mixed-methods studyMaria Gabriella Melchiorre0Marco Socci1Giovanni Lamura2Sabrina Quattrini3Centre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA - National Institute of Health and Science on AgeingCentre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA - National Institute of Health and Science on AgeingCentre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA - National Institute of Health and Science on AgeingCentre for Socio-Economic Research on Ageing, IRCCS INRCA - National Institute of Health and Science on AgeingAbstract Background When older people have limited physical ability, several difficulties could arise from a built environment that is not appropriate for their needs, especially when they live alone without cohabiting with their relatives. The study explores how frail older people with functional limitations are ageing in place alone and how they perceive and manage the built environment, i.e., housing (home and building) and neighbourhood, with regard to both urban and rural sites. Methods Data were collected for the main IN-AGE “Inclusive Ageing in Place” study, which was carried out in 2019 in Italy. For this paper, semi-structured interviews involving 40 participants aged 65 years and over in the Marche Region (Central Italy) were processed, and a mixed-methods analysis (quantitative/qualitative) was conducted. Simple quantitative/descriptive elaborations (univariate and bivariate analyses) were integrated with thematic content analysis. Results The findings suggested, among others, the following issues: high costs for managing the home, poor relationships with neighbours in some cases, scarcity of proximity services especially in rural sites, and the presence of architectural/mobility barriers, even though the latter are little perceived when inside the home. Moreover, the majority of seniors were emotionally attached to their living place, although feelings of loneliness and isolation emerged, also following depopulation in rural areas. Conclusions Despite the small/not representative sample size, the results highlight how, a built environment that is perceived as inadequate, could hamper ageing in place and participating in communities for frail seniors. This could be managed with appropriate interventions to be implemented taking into account the diversity between rural and urban sites. Clinical trial number Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06083-5Ageing in placeFrail older peopleFunctional statusBuilt environmentLonelinessSocial isolation |
| spellingShingle | Maria Gabriella Melchiorre Marco Socci Giovanni Lamura Sabrina Quattrini Frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites: a mixed-methods study BMC Geriatrics Ageing in place Frail older people Functional status Built environment Loneliness Social isolation |
| title | Frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites: a mixed-methods study |
| title_full | Frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites: a mixed-methods study |
| title_fullStr | Frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites: a mixed-methods study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites: a mixed-methods study |
| title_short | Frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites: a mixed-methods study |
| title_sort | frail older people ageing in place alone and their perception of the built environment in rural and urban sites a mixed methods study |
| topic | Ageing in place Frail older people Functional status Built environment Loneliness Social isolation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06083-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariagabriellamelchiorre frailolderpeopleageinginplacealoneandtheirperceptionofthebuiltenvironmentinruralandurbansitesamixedmethodsstudy AT marcosocci frailolderpeopleageinginplacealoneandtheirperceptionofthebuiltenvironmentinruralandurbansitesamixedmethodsstudy AT giovannilamura frailolderpeopleageinginplacealoneandtheirperceptionofthebuiltenvironmentinruralandurbansitesamixedmethodsstudy AT sabrinaquattrini frailolderpeopleageinginplacealoneandtheirperceptionofthebuiltenvironmentinruralandurbansitesamixedmethodsstudy |