Why People With Dementia Prefer Aging in Place, Despite All The Missing Supports

From Penn LDI:

About one in nine Americans age 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s dementia. As the U.S. population of older adults continues to grow, the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is projected to grow as well, from 6.9 million in 2024 to 13.8 million by 2060. 

Aging in place—or remaining at home as you age – is the preferred option for many older adults. Indeed, the practice is often promoted by clinicians and policymakers. For people with dementia, this often requires caregiving support from family or loved ones. To better understand how decisions about aging in place are made, we conducted a study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, in which we interviewed 74 key stakeholders.