Serviced Housing for Older People and Prevention of Functional Decline: A One-year Follow-up Study in Japan

Serviced Housing for Older People (SHOP) is a community-based housing model in Japan that provides barrier-free apartments and support services for residents. Whether the SHOP model has positive effects on residents' health remains unclear. This follow-up study examines the association between living in SHOPs and functional decline. Using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, we compared functional decline risks at one-year follow-up between older adults living in conventional housing (n = 2202) and SHOP residents (n = 160). Functional decline risk was assessed using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) and Care-Need Risk Assessment Scale (CNRAS). SHOPs residents had lower KCL and CNRAS scores than older adults living in conventional housing. In sensitivity analyses, these associations remained unchanged. The results, thus, showed that residing in SHOPs was associated with reduced functional decline; therefore, SHOPs designed to support residents' physical and social health could be important for supporting aging in place.