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[The impact of relocation on well-being of the elderly]
T Saito1, H Sugisawa, Y Sugihara
1Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo.
Objective:
This study examined direct and indirect effects, mediated by social contact, of residential relocation on well-being of the elderly.
Methods:
We used longitudinal data of a national representative sample of individual aged 60 years and over (N = 1,474). The initial survey was conducted in 1987, and the follow-up survey was conducted three years later. Well-being was measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Life Satisfaction Index A (LSIA). Social contacts were measured in terms of frequency of contacts with relatives, friends and neighbors, as well as frequency of social participation.
Results:
Relocation had a positive direct effect on well-being, assessed by both CES-D and LSIA, but a negative indirect effect mediated by decline of social contacts.
Conclusion:
Our results suggest that residential relocation indirectly has a detrimental effect on well-being of the elderly through decline in social contacts, though it may directly improve well-being of the elderly.