Moving in together in later life : Making spaces into places as a joint endeavor
(2024) In Journal of Aging Studies 68.- Abstract
Background and objectives: We focus on the linkages between relocation, new forms of partner cohabitation, and retirement. What are the patterns and trajectories of moving in with a partner in retirement? How do older adults experience different transitions, place attachment, and placemaking when they move in with a partner? Research design and methods: In this qualitative study, 50 persons between 60 and 75 years old were interviewed in Sweden and Germany. For this paper, we focused on nine participants who experienced a relocation with a partner in retirement. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a strategy derived from social constructivist Grounded Theory and thematic analysis. Results: Research participants described... (More)
Background and objectives: We focus on the linkages between relocation, new forms of partner cohabitation, and retirement. What are the patterns and trajectories of moving in with a partner in retirement? How do older adults experience different transitions, place attachment, and placemaking when they move in with a partner? Research design and methods: In this qualitative study, 50 persons between 60 and 75 years old were interviewed in Sweden and Germany. For this paper, we focused on nine participants who experienced a relocation with a partner in retirement. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a strategy derived from social constructivist Grounded Theory and thematic analysis. Results: Research participants described experiences of several relocations and cohabitation trajectories. In particular, we identified two patterns of relocating with a partner in retirement: moving into a new place with a partner and moving into a partner's pre-existing home, the latter proving more challenging for forming place attachment and for the couple relationship. Relocation experiences appeared to form a joint process in which relationships and retirement were renegotiated. Discussion and implications: Using cross-cultural data, this novel study shows an unexpected diversity in housing and cohabitation trajectories among older adults. More research is needed to understand what “aging in the right place” with “the right person” really means and the role of life course trajectories and couple negotiations in such processes. Future research should focus on what comes before and after relocation rather than solely studying the decision-making process that leads up to a move.
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- author
- Wanka, Anna ; Schmidt, Steven M. LU ; Iwarsson, Susanne LU ; Oswald, Frank ; Wazinski, Karla ; Slaug, Björn LU and Kylén, Maya LU
- organization
-
- Applied Gerontology (research group)
- LU Profile Area: Proactive Ageing
- MultiPark: Multidisciplinary research focused on Parkinson´s disease
- Active and Healthy Ageing Research Group (research group)
- EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health
- National Graduate School on Ageing and Health (research group)
- Lund OsteoArthritis Division - Joint injury research group (research group)
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Housing, Life transitions, Meaning of home, Relocation, Retirement
- in
- Journal of Aging Studies
- volume
- 68
- article number
- 101191
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38458716
- scopus:85177765576
- ISSN
- 0890-4065
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jaging.2023.101191
- project
- Perceived Housing and Life Transitions: Good Ageing-in Place
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2023
- id
- 2c518de5-9c8d-49dc-882d-6f073c1e4a6a
- date added to LUP
- 2023-12-10 20:40:10
- date last changed
- 2024-04-23 14:07:56
@article{2c518de5-9c8d-49dc-882d-6f073c1e4a6a, abstract = {{<p>Background and objectives: We focus on the linkages between relocation, new forms of partner cohabitation, and retirement. What are the patterns and trajectories of moving in with a partner in retirement? How do older adults experience different transitions, place attachment, and placemaking when they move in with a partner? Research design and methods: In this qualitative study, 50 persons between 60 and 75 years old were interviewed in Sweden and Germany. For this paper, we focused on nine participants who experienced a relocation with a partner in retirement. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a strategy derived from social constructivist Grounded Theory and thematic analysis. Results: Research participants described experiences of several relocations and cohabitation trajectories. In particular, we identified two patterns of relocating with a partner in retirement: moving into a new place with a partner and moving into a partner's pre-existing home, the latter proving more challenging for forming place attachment and for the couple relationship. Relocation experiences appeared to form a joint process in which relationships and retirement were renegotiated. Discussion and implications: Using cross-cultural data, this novel study shows an unexpected diversity in housing and cohabitation trajectories among older adults. More research is needed to understand what “aging in the right place” with “the right person” really means and the role of life course trajectories and couple negotiations in such processes. Future research should focus on what comes before and after relocation rather than solely studying the decision-making process that leads up to a move.</p>}}, author = {{Wanka, Anna and Schmidt, Steven M. and Iwarsson, Susanne and Oswald, Frank and Wazinski, Karla and Slaug, Björn and Kylén, Maya}}, issn = {{0890-4065}}, keywords = {{Housing; Life transitions; Meaning of home; Relocation; Retirement}}, language = {{eng}}, publisher = {{Elsevier}}, series = {{Journal of Aging Studies}}, title = {{Moving in together in later life : Making spaces into places as a joint endeavor}}, url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaging.2023.101191}}, doi = {{10.1016/j.jaging.2023.101191}}, volume = {{68}}, year = {{2024}}, }