Housing characteristics of older adults with cognitive impairment

Older adults with cognitive impairment (CI) face challenges to aging in the community. Little is known about the housing characteristics of US older adults with CI.

Using the 2022 National Health and Aging Trends Study, we describe housing characteristics of community-living older adults ≥ 65 years with CI (n = 968) using descriptive statistics (frequencies) and conduct chi-squared tests to compare characteristics of those who lived with others (n = 707) versus alone (n = 261).

Renting (41%), home modifications (59% had ≥ 2), and interior home disorder (45%) were prevalent among older adults with CI. Those living alone more commonly rented, lived in an apartment or mobile home (vs. house), and had more home modifications than those living with others (all p < 0.05).

Further study should examine how housing characteristics support or deter daily function and inform the long-term services and supports needed by this high-needs, understudied population.

There are 5.5 million older adults living in the community with cognitive impairment (CI). Of this population, 26% live alone. Older adults living alone with CI are primarily female, older, with lower incomes. Nearly half of older adults living alone with CI are renters. Home accessibility modifications were very common in this population.