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The Happy Home: Ageing, Migration, and Housing in Relation to Older Migrants’ Subjective Wellbeing

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  • Micheline Phlix

    (Faculty of Architecture and Arts, UHasselt—Universiteit Hasselt, Agoralaan, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
    Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Ann Petermans

    (Faculty of Architecture and Arts, UHasselt—Universiteit Hasselt, Agoralaan, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium)

  • An-Sofie Smetcoren

    (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Jan Vanrie

    (Faculty of Architecture and Arts, UHasselt—Universiteit Hasselt, Agoralaan, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium)

Abstract

(1) Background: With an increasingly diversifying ageing population, it is important to understand what ‘ageing well’ means to older adults with a migration background. Given older adults’ preference to age in place and declining mobility, housing is a significant place in later life. Therefore, this paper explores the influence of housing, migration, and age on older migrants’ subjective wellbeing, with attention to immaterial aspects such as a sense of home as well. (2) Methods: In-depth interviews with older migrants from various ethnicities (N = 22) were conducted. The data collection and analysis were led by an inductive and deductive approach through thematic analysis. (3) Results: The results point to the dynamic nature of age(ing) and the role of migration background in the subjective wellbeing of older migrants. The need for preserving one’s housing situation and environmental mastery in later life is highlighted. Furthermore, the relation and mutual influence of subjective wellbeing and sense of home is uncovered. (4) Conclusions: This study highlights the intersection of age, migration, and housing to the subjective wellbeing and sense of home of older migrants. In addition, influences on older migrants’ subjective wellbeing concern both a material (i.e., housing) and immaterial (i.e., sense of home, age, migration) base.

Suggested Citation

  • Micheline Phlix & Ann Petermans & An-Sofie Smetcoren & Jan Vanrie, 2022. "The Happy Home: Ageing, Migration, and Housing in Relation to Older Migrants’ Subjective Wellbeing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:106-:d:1010803
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Emma Mulliner & Mike Riley & Vida Maliene, 2020. "Older People’s Preferences for Housing and Environment Characteristics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-25, July.
    2. Sixsmith, J. & Sixsmith, A. & Fänge, A. Malmgren & Naumann, D. & Kucsera, C. & Tomsone, S. & Haak, M. & Dahlin-Ivanoff, S. & Woolrych, R., 2014. "Healthy ageing and home: The perspectives of very old people in five European countries," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 1-9.
    3. Brendan Baird & Richard Lucas & M. Donnellan, 2010. "Life Satisfaction Across the Lifespan: Findings from Two Nationally Representative Panel Studies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 99(2), pages 183-203, November.
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