A recent AARP report on the community preferences of older adults indicated that 87% of adults age 65 and older (“Baby Boomers”) say that they want to remain in their home and community through the duration of the aging process (Harrell, Lynott, Guzman, & Lampkin, 2014). This phenomenon is commonly known as aging in place.

The purpose of this study was to identify and examine the relevant factors that contribute to the implementation of aging-in-place techniques among Baby Boomers living primarily in the Roanoke, VA, area. Productive aging is the desired functional outcome of aging in place. If occupational therapists can better understand what limits and promotes people’s willingness to positively influence productive aging they will be better equipped to help Baby Boomers optimize their participation in desired everyday activities during the aging process.

The researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of data previously collected by Brown et al. (2014) in the study titled “Primary Prevention Education and Implementation of Aging-in-Place Techniques for the Baby Boomer Population in the Roanoke Area” and used inferential statistics to measure relationships that exist between selected predictor variables and the implementation of aging-in-place techniques.

The population for the study was Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964. The sample included independent, community-dwelling citizens living primarily in the Roanoke area.

Brown et al. (2014) developed a survey designed to collect quantitative data. The survey included 19 quantitative survey items, including demographic data. The researchers used a Spearman’s rank correlation to examine the relationship between year of birth, desire to age in place, and implementation of aging-in-place techniques; a chi-square test to examine the correlation between implementation, gender, and type of education; and a logistic multiple regression to examine the relevance of multiple predictor variables on implementation.

The results of this study suggest that year of birth, desire to age in place, gender, and formal education does not predict implementation of any of the implementation domains (home modifications, assistive devices, and medication management). More specifically, the results indicate that slightly more than one-half to approximately two-thirds of each aging-in-place technique domain were made as a result of information received from an informal education source, suggesting that Baby Boomers may give more credence to information received from personal testimony and/or perhaps are skeptical of advice or recommendations given by health care professionals. It is also possible that health care professionals may be underemphasizing or omitting communication that speaks to the value of preventive aging-in-place techniques.

The results of this study also indicate that the likelihood of implementation of aging-in-place techniques increases after the onset of injury or illness injury or illness. To maintain independence and prevent the decline of occupational engagement, it would benefit Baby Boomers to implement aging-in-place techniques proactively instead of retroactively. Overall, occupational therapists would benefit from learning more about the barriers to Baby Boomers implementing aging-in-place techniques to tailor their approach to primary prevention education.

Brown, D., Hammond, S., & Lunsford, R. (2014). Primary prevention education and implementation of aging in place techniques for the Baby Boomer population in the Roanoke area (Master’s thesis). Roanoke, VA: Jefferson College.

Harrell, R., Lynott, J., Guzman, S., & Lampkin, C.; AARP Public Policy Institute. (2014). What is livable? Community preferences of older adults. Retrieved from http://www.aarp.org/ppi/info-2014/rodney-harrell.html