Source: NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIV submitted to
INVESTIGATING AGING IN PLACE STRATEGIES USED BY NORTH CAROLINA LOW-INCOME ELDERLY RENTERS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1006719
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
NC.X-297-5-16-170-1
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Oct 1, 2015
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2018
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Lee, SU.
Recipient Organization
NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIV
1601 EAST MARKET STREET
GREENSBORO,NC 27411
Performing Department
Family and Consumer Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Research on "Aging-in-place (AIP)" has been frequently conducted for elderly homeowners, not renters. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013), aging-in-place is defined as the ability to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably; this implies AIP can also be pursued by aging renters. Since elderly renters have less flexibility in home modifications due to deficiency in ownership, this study can be unique in examining factors which may affect elderly renters when pursuing their desire for AIP and improving/maintaining quality of life. This proposed study aims to examine the strategies NC low-income elderly renters employ should they want to stay in their living place or communities.This project will be implemented using a four-phase procedure: (a) Phase I: Exploring low income elderly renters (who are participating public housing programs) in terms of housing and community environment in an urban setting; (b) Phase II: Developing and testing an instrument with low income elderly renters (who are participating public housing programs) in a rural setting; (c) Phase III: Examining design perspectives of public rental units for elderly renters; and (d) Phase IV: Conducting interviews with landlords or property managers in multifamily rental units in relation to elderly tenants.This research will be able to provide meaningful insights for aging and elderly renters in NC if they desire to stay in their places or communities for their future well-being.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
8015320308020%
8045320308010%
6085320209010%
8016020308010%
8046020310010%
6086020310010%
8016099308010%
8046099209010%
6086099308010%
Goals / Objectives
This proposed study aims to examine the strategies NC low-income elderly renters employ should they want to stay in their living place or communities. Four objectives will guide the study: (1) To identify the housing environment, AIP perceptions, and services (supports) of limited resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units or communities in urban NC areas; (2) To assess the housing environment, AIP perceptions, and services (supports) of limited resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units or communities in rural NC areas; (3) To examine accessibility/universal design aspects of public rental units and to develop future design recommendations; and (4) To identify landlords' perceptions and unit preparations for elderly tenants.
Project Methods
This project will be implemented using a four-phase procedure. Phase I (Qualitative data collection approach) includes site visitation for personal interviews with a mixture of closed (multiple questions to measure services or housing profile) and open ended (asking opinions to explore their living environment and any supports for their living) questions. As the first step for Phase I, housing professionals in a NC urban central city, who have been serving low-income elderly renters, will be invited to share their perspectives on what aspects the Housing Research Team should consider for the elderly group in relation to AIP concept. A sample size of 25 renters (i.e., 25 is the maximum 'purposeful' sampling size based on Leedy & Ormord, 2013) who have participated in a public housing program (e.g., housing voucher/Section 8 or Section 202), who are at least 62 years of age (a criteria for public housing program for an elderly family), and currently, who live in a central NC city will be recruited for one-to-one site visitation.A Housing Authority of the city (which provides housing assistance programs - Voucher or public housing program) will be contacted by the PI to obtain the contact information for the Phase 1 sample. As an alternative source, a nonprofit "housing assistance" organization for elderly low-income population will be considered as a resource for recruiting the sample. The personal interview will elicit a full range of ideas, attitudes, experiences, and opinions related to aging-in-place or aging-in-community. Personal interviews, particularly responses from the open-ended questions, will be video or tape recorded. The recordings will be transcribed and content analysis will be used to analyze the data relative to each research objective.Open ended questions will include factors that influence the choice of housing and location, strategies employed related to planning for retirement, health concerns, behaviors related to health and physical activity, perceptions of the community environment, design challenges of a rental unit, and views related to financial, physical, social and environmental factors that impact their ability to remain in their homes and communities. Specifically, the interviews will identify housing problems that would affect the ability of limited resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units and communities, and social/public and other support services that would be needed for their successful aging and AIP. Results from the personal interview in Phase I will be used to develop a model (strategy) for 'aging-in-place' in North Carolina and to devise a survey instrument to apply to rural NC elderly renters who want to age in place. Dr. Suk-Kyung Kim, an Associate Professor, School of Planning, Design, & Construction, Michigan State University and Dr. Sharon Cook, an Associate Professor of Social Work at N.C. A&T will review the questions and provide input for Phase I. For Phase I, as an incentive to participate, each participant will be given a $25 gift card.Phase II (Quantitative data collection) includes survey with the instrument. An 'AIP' instrument developed in Phase I will be applied to NC rural elderly renters who are 62 years of age and have participated in public housing programs. Since the sample will be elderly renters who tend to need a relatively longer time for survey completion or who will need assistance for understanding or reading the survey questionnaire, approximately 50 to 60 participants will be recruited for Phase II. When selecting study sites in rural areas, County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (which provides a list of counties according to health status) will be a reference. Also, senior centers or faith-based organizations in selected counties will be considered for sample recruitment. In the previous AIP study by the PIs, it was found that elderly renters participate in several programs offered by senior centers. For Phase II, as an incentive to participate, each participant will be given a $25 gift card.In Phase III (Qualitative data collection), home accessibility and universal design aspects of public rental units and future design recommendations for elderly renters will be examined based on Accessible Multifamily Housing design guideline (Center for Universal Design, 2000). Housing Authorities in urban and rural areas will be contacted to find public rental housing units and to obtain permission for photo-taking. Visitations (one in rural and one in urban areas) will be considered and will be developed as a case study. Dr. Kim will assist the PI when analyzing design aspects for public rental housing units for elderly renters in NC.Phase IV (Qualitative data collection) includes interviewing landlords or property managers of multifamily housing unit (one personal interview regarding public housing unit and one with non-public multifamily housing units in each rural and urban area, respectively, i.e., two interviews in rural and two in urban areas) to explore their perceptions for elderly tenants and how they prepare the aging cohort in their community, including service programs or universal design considerations for the aging cohort. Considerations which will be brought up from Phase I, II, and III will also be asked to the landlords/property managers.

Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences are low-income North Carolina elderly renters, community leaders, policymakers, academic professionals, and non-profit organizations. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One graduate student and one undergraduate student in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at NC A&T was trained under this EA project focusing on data collection and analysis, professional research presentations, and co-authorship. During 2017-2018, each student had a professional research presentation at the 2018 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference. Also, one undergraduate student had two poster presentations at N.C. A&T Fall 2017 Undergraduate Research Symposium and at the 7th CAES (College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences) Annual Student Showcase of Excellence at N.C. A&T. The PI and Research Associate took a continuing education training course on February 16, 2018 as a requirement for the Certified Aging In Place Specialists endorsed by National Association of Home Builders. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PI and research associate have participated in several local meetings to disseminate the study results; and have met with non-profit organization directors, community leaders, and other university researchers to discuss grant opportunities or possible collaborative work relevant to aging in place studies. Also, the PI has participated in workshops to introduce the study outcomes, including the Policy for Active Aging: Aging-in-Place Seminar at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA (Presentation title: Aging in place: Low-income older adults in North Carolina); and the 2018 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference, Wilmington, NC (Presentation title: Aging, falling, and universal design). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Last year of project

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project aims to examine the strategies NC low-income elderly renters,whether they want to stay in their living place or communities [i.e., AIP (Aging-in-Place)]. Research on "AIP" has been frequently conducted for elderly homeowners; however, not for renters who have less flexibility in making home modifications due to a deficiency in ownership. Thus, this study can be unique in examining factors which may affect elderly renters when pursuing their desire for AIP and improving/maintaining their quality of life. Four objectives have guided this study: (1) To identify the housing environment, AIP perceptions, and services (supports) of limited resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units or communities in urban NC areas (Phase I); (2) To assess the housing environment, AIP perceptions, and services (supports) of limited resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units or communities in rural NC areas (Phase II); (3) To examine accessibility/universal design aspects of public rental units and to develop future design recommendations (Phase III); and (4) To identify landlords' perceptions and unit preparations for elderly tenants (Phase IV). In FY18, Objective 2 and 4 were completed with the following activities including: (1) Conduct the survey by using the AIP instrument for rural renters (N=51) and complete the quantitative data analysis (Phase II, Objective 2); and (2) Complete the personal interviews with landlords or property managers (N=4) to explore their perceptions and unit preparations for elderly renters (Phase IV, Objective 4). Objectives 1 and 3 were accomplished in FY16 and FY17. Key findings for the project follow: Phase I Study (Objective 1 - Personal interviews with low-income older renters in urban areas): Among 25 urban aging renters interviewed, 12 participants lived in senior housing units and 13 lived in community-dwelling units. Regarding structure size, 12 participants lived in 1 bedroom apartments and the others lived in 2 bedrooms (10) or more bedrooms (3). The senior housing community has maintenance staff on the site while community-dwelling units do not. The most frequently cited desire for home improvement was found in the bathroom (9) in that they expressed difficulty in taking a shower and/or using a toilet. Despite environmental challenges in their home, most of the renters were satisfied with freedom from property maintenance responsibilities. In terms of neighborhood, study participants liked their convenient location (21), walkability (10), being quiet (7), and safety (7). Seventeen renters believe they have a good connection with their neighbors, but do not consider neighbors as close friends. In terms of aging in place desire, most wanted to stay in their current unit due to lack of resources or another future plan. Three themes for low-income older renters' aging in place emerged: (1) affordability, (2) home environment to support autonomy, and (3) resources for formal and informal support systems. Twenty-four urban renters expressed 63 different health issues; and if their health declines, half of them want to move into homes of children or other family. Regarding financial status, 18 participants did not feel they were financially secure as they grow older and they do not have any financial plans (18) or emergency funds (18) for their later life. Financially, the majority of residents heavily depended on government resources. Some of them received multiple types of financial assistance. As a result, 22 received Social Security benefits, 3 Social Security Disability Insurance, 15 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), 10 housing subsidies, 9 pension, 22 Medicare, and 7 Medicaid. Phase II Study (Objective 2 - Survey with low-income older renters in rural areas): The low-income older renters (N=51) in rural NC areas were financially insecure, and aging in place can be the only option for their later life. Selected results from the structured face-to-face survey include: The average age was 73 years old (range: 63-87). The participants were mostly female (84%) and single (94%). Most (96%) lived in a one-bedroom rental unit. Regarding financial security, their financial condition was unstable: Almost 60% were not able to support their health care costs, and the majority expressed no funds for emergencies (75%) and no financial plans for later life (73%). The rural older renters were dependent on governmental resources: Social Security (83%), Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (47%), Medicare (49%), and Medicaid (37%). In terms of future housing plans, all participants desired to remain in their homes (aging in place) for as long as possible, and however, the majority (75%) had no clear plans of where they live in the future if their health or other factors would no longer allow them to. The findings imply a need to expand access to community resources and public assistance in rural areas in order to increase rural older renters' well-being. In addition, the majority of elderly renters were female and single, implying a need for greater support for such groups in NC rural areas.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Lee, S., Kim, D., Kim, S-K, Parrott, K., Giddings, V. L., and Robinson, S. R. (in review). Emerging themes on aging in place from low-income elderly renters. Housing and Society.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2019 Citation: Kim, D., Lee, S., Kim, S-K, Giddings, V. L., and Robinson, S. R. (in review). Home environmental challenges for low-income older renters: A qualitative study. Journal of Housing for the Elderly.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lee, S., Kim, D., Parrott, K. R., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (in Press). Financial and health challenges for low-income elderly homeowners aging in place. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Parrott, K. R., Lee, S., Kim, D., Giddings, V. L., and Robinson, S. R. (2018). Housing insecurity challenges aging in place for low-income renters. In E. Hwang (Chair), Age friendly environments (AFE). Symposium conducted at the IFA (International Federation on Ageing) 14th Global Conference on Ageing, Toronto, Canada.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kim, D., Lee, S., Kim, S-K, Giddings, V. L., and Robinson, S. R. (2018). Mitigating home environmental challenges for older renters in low-income community dwellings. Proceedings of the 2018 AAFCS (American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Walston, S., Lee, S., Kim, D., Parrott, K. R., Giddings, V. L., and Robinson, S. R. (2018). Health concerns for low-income elderly renters: Aging in place. Proceedings of the 2018 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference, 32.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Young, L., Lee, S., Kim, D., Giddings, V. L., and Robinson, S. R. (2018). Housing unit location and food desert issues for low-income elderly renters. Proceedings of the 2018 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference, 31.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lee, S., Kim, D., Giddings, V. L., Parrott, K. R., and Robinson, S. R. (2018). A case study: Financial and health conditions for low-income elderly homeowners in North Carolina. Proceedings of the 2018 AGHE (Association for Gerontology in Higher Education) Annual Meeting and Educational Leadership Conference, 11-12.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lee, S., Kim, D., Parrott, K. R., Giddings, V. L., and Robinson, S. R. (2017). Carolina in my mind; and in my own home. Proceedings of the 2017 Annual Conference of the Housing Education and Research Association, 53-55.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kim, S.-K., and Lee, S. (2017). Different perceptions of aging in place depending on socioeconomic characteristics. Proceedings of the 2017 Annual Conference of the Housing Education and Research Association, 20-22.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2017 Citation: Kim, D., Lee, S., Kim, S.-K., Giddings, V. L., and Robinson, S. R. (2017). Environmental challenges of NC Low-income elderly renters. Proceedings of the 2017 Annual Conference of the Housing Education and Research Association, 17-19.


Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences are low-income, elderly renters in North Carolina, as well as community leaders, policymakers, academic professionals and non-profit organizations. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate students and two undergraduate students in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at N.C. A&T have been introduced to housing research and given the opportunity to assist with this project, including helping with preparations for the Aging-In-Place meeting and literature searches. During 2016-2017, one graduate student developed a research abstract for the 2016 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference. Also, one undergraduate student and one graduate student had a poster presentation at the 6th CAES (College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences) Annual Student Showcase of Excellence at N.C. A&T. Also, one undergraduate student had a poster presentation at N.C. A&T Fall 2016 Undergraduate Research Symposium. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PI was a member of the Board of Directors of the Greensboro Housing Coalition (GHC), a non-profit organization whose mission is for fair, decent, and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income people and those with special needs; and served as the vice chair for the GHC BOD. This civic engagement provides an excellent opportunity to enhance public interest and understanding of aging/housing issues. Also, the PI has met with non-profit organization directors, community leaders, and other university researchers to discuss grant opportunities or possible collaborative work relevant to aging-in-place studies. The PI and Research Associatecompleted all requirements for the Certified Aging in Place Specialists endorsed by National Association of Home Builders. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? This project aims to examine the strategies NC low-income elderly renters employ should they want to stay in their living place or communities [i.e., AIP (Aging-in-Place)]. Research on "AIP" has been frequently conducted for elderly homeowners; however, not for renters who have less flexibility in making home modifications due to a deficiency in ownership. Thus, this study can be unique in examining factors which may affect elderly renters when pursuing their desire for AIP and improving/maintaining their quality of life. Four objectives have guided this study: (1) To identify the housing environment, AIP perceptions, and services (supports) of limited-resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units or communities in urban NC areas (Phase I); (2) To assess the housing environment, AIP perceptions, and services (supports) of limited-resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units or communities in rural NC areas (Phase II); (3) To examine accessibility/universal design aspects of public rental units and to develop future design recommendations (Phase III); and (4) To identify landlords' perceptions and unit preparations for elderly tenants (Phase IV). Activities for 2016 - 2017 focused on completing Objective 1; and implementing/initiating Objectives 2, 3 and 4. The activities included: (1) Site visitation for personal interviews (Phase I) (Quarter 1); (2) Coded, analyzed and interpreteddata from personal interviews (Phase I) (Q1, Q2, & Q3); (3) Developed an instrument of renters' AIPstrategies (Phase I) (Q3); (4) Conducted the survey by using the instrument(Phase II) (Q4); and (5) To examine accessibility/universal design aspects of rental units and to develop future design recommendations (Phase III) (Q4). On March 31, 2017, site visitations for personal interviews (Phase I) were completed. In August 2017, qualitative data coding/analysis was completed based on interview transcripts (Objective 1 was completed). In September 2017, two types of pilot tests (1. a structured questionnaire for rural renters for Phase II and 2. an interview questionnaire for landlords for Phase IV) were conducted before the IRB submission. For Phase II and IV, the research team contacted rural rental units for sample recruitment. Based on photos taken during the home visits, design (Phase III) was assessed to reveal home environmental challenges. Findings from Phase I Study (Personal interviews - urban aging renters): Among 25 aging renters interviewed, 12 participants lived in senior housing units and 13 lived in community-dwelling units. Regarding structure size, 12 participants lived in one-bedroom apartments. Of the other participants, 10 lived in two-bedroom units and three in housing with more than two bedrooms. The senior housing community has maintenance staff on the site while community-dwelling unitsdo not. All study participants expressed environmental challenges that could be improved for their successful living. The most frequently cited desire for home improvement was found in the bathroom (N = 9). Specifically, residents expressed difficulty in taking a shower and/or using a toilet. Despite environmental challenges in their home, most of the renters were satisfied with freedom from property-maintenance responsibilities. In terms of neighborhood, study participants liked their convenient location (N = 21, walkability (10), quiet environment (7), and safety (7). Seventeen renters believe they have a good connection with their neighbors, but do not consider neighbors as close friends. In terms of aging in place desire, 16 participants want to stay in their rental home in the near future. In this study, 24 interviewees expressed 63 different health issues, and if their health declines, half of them want to move into homes of children or other family. Regarding financial status, 18 participants did not feel they were financially secure as they grow older and they do not have any financial plans (18) or emergency funds (18) for their later life. Financially, the majority of residents heavily depended on government resources. Some of them received multiple types of financial assistance. Assistance includes: 21 received Social Security benefits; 4, Social Security Disability Insurance; 15, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); 10, housing subsidies; 9, pension; 22, Medicare, and 7, Medicaid. Findings from the Phase III Study (Design examination): This project revealed various environmental challenges, which low-income older renters faced in their homes. These environmental challenges could negatively affect residents' health and well-being. Four major findings were: (1) The bathroom had many environmental challenges that included the shower step, narrow door width, lack of grab bars near the toilet, and low toilet height. The research participants expressed their desire for more grab bars near the toilet and bathtub, higher toilet seats, a larger bathroom, and easy access to the bathtub or walk-in shower. (2) The research findings indicated environmental challenges in entrance areas including steps/thresholds and the lack of handrails for supporting elderly residents' when entering homes. Installing handrails could be a solution for supporting the challenges, and installing a ramp on accessible routes with handrails on both sides would increase safety from any home incidents. (3) Kitchen areas also presented several environmental challenges due to uneasy access to high cabinets. To address environmental challenges, residents desire home modifications that would allow larger kitchens or storage areas. (4) Non-slip floor materials and appropriate lighting were found to be essential for reducing environmental challenges for aging renters. Phase II and Phase IV are in the data gathering stage; therefore, the overall impact of the project cannot be assessed at this time. However, this project could have a potential impact for the future because not many studies have been conducted on low-income elderly renters aging in place. The project results will enhance our understanding of urban/rural elderly renters' decision-making processes when choosing their places to live and their life path. One expected project impact could be the cost savings that benefit elderly renters by remaining in their homes or communities and avoiding the costs associated with senior living (e.g., assisted living or nursing homes). If elderly renters desire to stay in their communities and to age in place without relocation to another town/city, their communities can benefit from the stability of the residents as well as their economic contributions. Also, this project will illuminate current home environmental challenges faced by low-income aging renters. The environmental challenges may encourage home improvement considerations and maintenance strategies to maintenance staff, property managers, and/or local housing authorities, leading to their saving time and effort when assisting aging renters in the community.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2017 Citation: Kim, D., Lee, S., Kim, S-K, Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (in review). Home environmental challenges for low-income older renters: A qualitative study. Journal of Housing and the Built Environment.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lee, S., Kim, D., Parrott, K. R., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (in review). Financial and health challenges for low-income elderly homeowners aging in place. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lee, S., Kim, D., Parrott, K. R., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (2017). Perceptions on residential environments for urban low-income elderly homeowners aging in place. Housing and Society, 44(1-2), 4-21. doi:10.1080/08882746.2017.1384992
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lee, S., Parrott, K., Giddings, V. L., Robinson, S. R., & Brown, G. (2017). Home modifications for North Carolina low-income elderly homeowners aging in place. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 109(4), 26-32. doi:10.14307/JFCS109.4.26
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lee, S., Coffin, W., Parrott, K.P., Giddings, V.L., & Robinson, S. R. (2017). Health concerns for low-income elderly homeowners aging in place. Proceedings of the 2017 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference, 29.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Lee, S., Giddings, V. L., Robinson, S. R., & Parrott, K. (2017). Competency levels of N.C. elderly homeowners with limited resources. Proceedings of the 2017 ARD (Association of Research Directors, Inc.) Biennial Research Symposium, 169.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Robinson, S. R., Lee, S., & Giddings, V. L. (2017). A case study: Home features of N.C. low-income elderly renters aging in place. Proceedings of the 2017 ARD (Association of Research Directors, Inc.) Biennial Research Symposium, 264.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: Lee, S., Parrott, K., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (2016). Rural North Carolina: A case study of low-income elderly homeowners. Proceedings of the 2016 Annual Conference of the Housing Education and Research Association, 16-17.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Parrott, K., Lee, S., Giddings, V. L., Robinson, S. R., & Brown, G. (2017). Educational needs and opportunities with aging adults: Listening to limited resource elderly homeowners. Journal of Extension, 55(1). Retrieved from https://www.joe.org/joe/2017february/rb3.php


Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audiences are low income North Carolina elderly renters, community leaders, policymakers, academic professionals, and non-profit organizations. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Two graduate students and one undergraduate student in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at NC A&T have been introduced to housing research and given the opportunity to assist with this project including helping with preparations for the Aging-In-Place meeting and literature searches. One of the 2015-2016 student outcomes was that one graduate student developed a research abstract and presented it at the 2016 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference. Also, one undergraduate student and one graduate student had a poster presentation at the 5th CAES (College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences) Annual Student Showcase of Excellence at N.C. A&T. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PI has participated in the board of directors of the Greensboro Housing Coalition (non-profit organization whose mission is for fair, decent, and affordable housing for low- and moderate-income people and those with special needs); and is currently serving as the Vice Chair for GHC BOD. This civic engagement provides an excellent opportunity to enhance public interest and understanding of aging issues. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The project is in the data gathering stage; therefore, impact cannot be assessed at this time. However, it is believed this project has a potential impact for the future. First of all, not many studies have been conducted on elderly renters with limited resources, who may desire to age in place and stay within the community. Therefore, the results of the project will enhance the understanding of elderly renters' decision making processes when choosing their place to live and their life path. One project impact can be the cost savings that elderly renters will benefit from by remaining in their homes or communities and avoiding the costs associated with senior living (e.g., assisted living or nursing homes). If elderly renters desire to stay in their communities and to age in place without relocation, their communities can benefit from the stability of the residents as well as their economic contributions. This project aims to examine what strategies NC low-income elderly renters employ if they want to stay in their living place or communities [i.e., AIP (Aging-in-Place)]. Research on "AIP" has been frequently conducted for elderly homeowners, not renters who have less flexibility in home modifications due to deficiency in ownership. Thus, this study can be unique in examining factors which may affect elderly renters when pursuing their desire for AIP and improving/maintaining quality of life. In this study, four objectives will guide the study: (1) To identify the housing environment, AIP perceptions, and services (supports) of limited resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units or communities in urban NC areas; (2) To assess the housing environment, AIP perceptions, and services (supports) of limited resource older renters who desire to remain in their rental units or communities in rural NC areas; (3) To examine accessibility/universal design aspects of public rental units and to develop future design recommendations; and (4) To identify landlords' perceptions and unit preparations for elderly tenants. Aimed Activities for 2015 - 2016 focused on implementing Objective 1. The activities included: (1) Identify a sample and develop the questionnaire for the personal interviews (Quarter 1 & Q2); (2) Conduct site visitation for personal interviews (Q3 & Q4); and (3) Code, analyze and interpret data from personal interviews (Q4). Since the beginning of the project, continuous work to identify a sample for personal interviews was conducted. On March 24, 2016, an IRB approval was obtained. Thus, Activity 1 was completed. Since July 2016, personal interviews (Activity 2) were conducted; and data coding (making transcripts) (Activity 3) has been conducted for data analysis.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Lee, S., Ahn, M., Kwon, H., & Kim, S. (2015). Housing satisfaction of 55+ single-person householders in U.S. urban communities. Journal of the Korean Housing Association, 26 (5), 27-35. doi:10.6107/JKHA.2015.26.5.027
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Lee, S., Parrott, K. R., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (2016). Financial well-being of North Carolina (US) elderly homeowners with limited resources. Proceedings of the XXIII IFHE (International Federation of Home Economics) World Congress 2016, 124.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Lee, S., Parrott, K. R., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (2016). Housing and life planning of low-income elderly homeowners in North Carolina rural areas. Proceedings of the 2016 AAFCS (American Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Parrott, K., Lee, S., Giddings, V. L., Robinson, S. R., & Brown, G. (In press). Educational needs and opportunities with aging adults: Listening to limited resource elderly homeowners. Journal of Extension
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Smalls, D., Lee, S., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (2016). Aging in Place: Neighborhood & town environment for NC elderly homeowners with limited resources. Proceedings of the 2016 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference, 8.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2016 Citation: Lee, S., Robinson, S. R., Parrott, K. R., & Giddings, V. L. (2016). Health Conditions and home modifications for low-income elderly homeowners. Proceedings of the 2016 NCAFCS (North Carolina Association of Family & Consumer Sciences) Annual Conference, 6.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Lee, S., Parrott, K., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (2015). Introduction to an Aging-in-place survey instrument for elderly homeowners with limited resources. Proceedings of the 2015 Annual Conference of the Housing Education and Research Association, 20-23
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Other Year Published: 2015 Citation: Parrott, K. R., Lee, S., Giddings, V. L., & Robinson, S. R. (2015). Educational needs and opportunities with aging adults: Listening to limited resource elderly homeowners. Proceedings of the 2015 Annual Conference of the Housing Education and Research Association, 86-89.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: Lee, S., Parrott, K., Giddings, V. L., Robinson, S. R., & Brown, G. (Accepted with revision). Home modifications for North Carolina low-income elderly homeowners aging in place. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences.