Age-Segregated Housing

Any discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of age-segregated housing must be placed within the context of several important facts. Ninety percent of older adults live independently in age-integrated communities. Age-segregated housing options are marked by great diversity, ranging from inner-city housing projects to trailer parks to upscale continuing care retirement communities. Elders who moved to age-segregated settings generally express satisfaction with their housing situation, but so do older adults living in age-integrated settings. The vast majority of community-dwelling older adults would prefer to remain in their current home and never move (American Association of Retired Persons, 1992).