Mobility restriction and barrier-reduced housing among those 65 and older in Germany: Do those who need it live in barrier-reduced residences?

Abstract

Elderly people spend a lot of time at home. Housing conditions ensure their ability to participate in social life, especially when they suffer from mobility restrictions. Barrier-free access to the residence and to rooms within the residence is a key condition for their everyday mobility. As a result, this is what we define as minimal criteria for barrier-reduced residences. This article examines the extent to which people aged 65 and over (including people with mobility issues) live in barrier-reduced housing and what factors influence the chance of living in such residences. Data and method: Cross-sectional data from the German Ageing Survey (DEAS) 2020/21 (persons aged 65 and over, n=2,854) were used. The DEAS is a representative survey of the population aged 40 and over in Germany. In our analyses, we used logistic regression models to investigate the probability of living in a barrier-reduced residence. We defined housing as barrier-reduced when the apartment/house and the rooms inside it can be reached without steps or stairs. As explanatory variable, we considered mobility impairments, defined as limited ability to climb a flight of stairs. In addition, the model includes other individual factors (age, gender, equivalized household income), regional factors (living in East vs. West Germany, in urban vs. rural region) and moving to the current residence after the age of 65. Results and discussion: Of all individuals aged 65 or older, 19.3 percent live in a barrier-reduced residence. Also, of mobility-impaired elders, only 21.4 percent have such residences. The logistic regression results show that mobility impairments increase the probability of living in a barrier-reduced residence. East Germans are less likely to live in a barrier-reduced home. The likelihood of barrier-reduced living increases if seniors moved into their current residence after age 65. No significant differences were found for age groups, gender, household income and between urban and rural regions. The findings show that not enough seniors have barrier-reduced access to their homes and rooms, even if they suffer from mobility restrictions. Preventing functional limitations must therefore also include improvements in the residential environment, especially in disadvantaged residential areas.