The Association Between Housing Transition and Psychological Well-Being: Findings From the National Health and Aging Trends Study

Housing transitions in later life involve moving to various settings and interacting with new environments, and this process can influence older adults’ psychological well-being. Using data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011–2015, N = 3,549), mixed-effects regression analyses examined the associations between relocation, neighborhood characteristics, and psychological well-being across different settings: within-community relocation, relocation from community to non-nursing facilities, and relocation from community to nursing homes. Non-movers and within-community movers did not differ significantly in psychological well-being, suggesting that within-community relocation may support aging in the right place. However, within-community movers reported significantly lower psychological well-being when relocating to neighborhoods with higher physical disorder. Interestingly, while transitioning to a nursing home is generally associated with lower psychological well-being, low social cohesion significantly attenuated this negative association, suggesting a compensatory role of nursing homes in less cohesive environments. These findings may inform relocation decisions by older adults, families, and policymakers.