Relocation remembered: perspectives on senior transitions in the living environment

The experience of aging may necessitate transitions in living environments, either through adaptations to current residences or through relocations to more supportive environments. For over a half century, the study of these transitions has informed the work of researchers, health and mental health providers, policymakers, and municipal planners. In the 1970s and 80s, knowledge about these transitions advanced through Lawton and Nahemow's ecological theory of competence and environmental press, Wiseman's behavioral model of relocation decision making, and Litwak and Longino's developmental perspective on senior migrations. This article revisits influential theoretical frameworks that contribute to our understanding of senior transitions in living environments. These seminal works are shown to inform recent studies of relocation and gerontology. This article concludes with a call for a view on housing transitions that reflects the contemporary context.