A Study on the Experiential Structure of Older Adults’ Preferences for Aging in Place

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) Aging in Place (AIP) aims to enable older adults to spend their later years in familiar environments. Existing research indicates that home-based aging can strengthen attachment to family and neighborhood while enhancing happiness. However, when urban renewal and eldercare spatial planning fail to align with older adults’ needs, feelings of rejection and alienation may arise. This study seeks to uncover the underlying mechanisms behind the formation of older adults’ AIP preferences, construct a spatial framework model that supports healthy aging in place, and— based on empirical findings and mechanism analyses—propose an environmental framework and evaluation criteria compatible with community renewal. The goal is to provide verifiable theoretical foundations and actionable strategies for policymaking and spatial practice. (Method) The study first conducts a systematic review of relevant literature, followed by the collection of oral narratives from older adults about their residential environments and life experiences via semi-structured focus group interviews. Using text mining techniques, high-frequency words and their associative networks are extracted, and CONCOR analysis is employed to categorize experiential themes. Finally, interdisciplinary analytical methods are applied to interpret the experiential structures and mechanisms shaping preference formation, translating the results into a framework for spatial design identity and continuity. (Results) The formation of healthy AIP preferences among older adults is influenced first by the state of the physical environment—particularly the availability of familiar spaces that can be cognitively utilized, well-developed age-friendly facilities, and the perception of predictability regarding positive future developments based on control over the existing environment. Second, perceived health status plays a critical role; when the residential environment conveys health-promoting cues, it significantly strengthens the willingness to remain, while enhancing feelings of safety and well-being. Third, social relationships within the living environment exert a decisive influence. The accumulation of social and world knowledge, combined with improved emotional regulation, leads—under shifts in time perception—to motivational changes, fostering a stronger inclination toward emotionally meaningful interactions with familiar social members and frequent, stable intergenerational engagement. (Conclusions) The proposed design strategies include: preserving historical proportions, architectural elements, and site textures that evoke long-term memories within spatial frameworks, while using gradual visual transitions to reduce the learning costs of new environments; integrating health data visualization and multisensory stimulation in social spaces to enhance health perception and promote the sustained occurrence of positive behaviors; and employing semi-open, companionship-oriented layouts with participatory teaching-activity zones in intergenerational spaces to ensure grandparents’ agency and sense of role within the community, thereby facilitating the effective transmission of experience and culture. This research aims to provide theoretical underpinnings and practical references for the development of healthy AIP environments and the optimization of age-friendly communities.