The Living Environment and Quality of Life in Old Age from the Perspective of Senior Housing Residents

Housing becomes an increasingly important domain of quality of life as people age. As new senior housing options continue to increase worldwide, there is a need to investigate how well they achieve the goal of optimizing quality of life in old age. This study explores how senior housing residents relate their quality of life to their living environment as a whole, using a person–environment fit perspective. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirty-three residents aged 68–97 from three senior houses in Finland. Thematic analysis identified five main themes and one overarching theme. The findings showed that quality of life was generally related to whether residents felt they could interact with their living environment in a way that enabled them to exercise agency to make it appropriate for aging in place. While most were able to create congruence between themselves and the physical and social environments, some found mismatches between these environments and their own characteristics or resources. One reason for this was the heterogeneity among residents. Our research suggests that a sustainable fit between individuals and senior housing can be achieved when the living environment promotes proactive behaviors, as this fosters adaptability to changes in either the person or the environment, regardless of the individual’s level of vulnerability. Based on the insights gained from this study, suggestions are made to address some of the existing challenges in senior housing. Implications for future research are discussed.