2) The prevention of “Relocation Stress” or “Transfer Trauma”
“Relocation stress” is a set of symptoms and outcomes that result from a transfer of an older adult from one environment to another—the symptoms range from:
- Sleep disturbance
- Cognitive decline
- Perceived loss of control
- Withdrawal
- Depression
- Failure-to-thrive
- Death
Aging in place may increase the chances of preventing these outcomes by remaining in a familiar environment – wherever you call home.
3) Preserve brain function with “environmental press”
Meeting the challenges of living at home may actually help support a healthy aging brain with activities such as:
- House cleaning-maintenance & laundry
- Yard work & gardening
- Riding the bus & driving
- Negotiating for goods & services
- Paying bills
- Taking care of pets/ walking them
- Using computers
- Shopping
These activities are all sources of what Professor of Gerontology, M. Powell Lawton called “environmental press” (conditions in the environment that require a response from us).
Institutional living is designed to minimize or eliminate these kinds of daily demands. For some that is the goal — but every form of refuge has its price.
Paradoxically these traditional “burdens” of home ownership may actually serve as sources of “environmental press” and support successful aging in place. Once again, use-it-or-lose-it!