A Novel Adaptation of the Home Inventory for Elders

The Importance of the Home Environment Across the Life Course

Bibliographic Data

ID15465834
AuthorsK L Hale (0000-0001-9541-0237, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, corresponding author), Truls Østbye (0000-0002-0662-7440, Duke University), Bilesha Perera (0000-0001-5398-710X, University of Ruhuna), Robert H Bradley (0000-0001-7098-1818, Arizona State University), Robert Bradley (Arizona State University), Joanna Maselko (0000-0002-6270-8237, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Year2019
Volume16
Issue16
Pages2826-2826
Publication date2019-08-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph16162826
PMID31398802
OpenAlexW2966071572
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited66

The context in which dependents, regardless of age, receive care affects their health. This study adapted the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory, originally designed for child development research, to assess the quality of stimulation and support available to elders in their habitual households in Sri Lanka. Whether the adapted domains correlated with indicators of health and well-being in ways consistent with the child development literature was then examined. Through mixed-methods research based on 248 household surveys, four focus groups, and 15 interviews, three domains emerged: Physical Environment, Variety of Stimulation, and Emotional and Verbal Responsiveness . Regression modeling revealed that a higher quality physical home environment correlated with two measures of cognitive function after adjusting for covariates, but no consistent association with two psychological well-being scales. In contrast, higher Variety of Stimulation scores correlated with better cognitive function and lower psychological distress. There was no consistent correlation between Responsiveness and selected health outcomes. Qualitative data indicate that elders are active household contributors who strive to achieve harmonious relations with coresident kin. These findings reveal notable synergies between early and late life efforts to improve cognitive and psychological health, and highlight household considerations for future healthy aging research

Cognition · Context (archaeology · Developmental psychology · Distress · Geography · Mental health · Psychiatry · Psychological adaptation · Quality of life (healthcare · Variety (cybernetics · Aging and Gerontology Research · Clinical Psychology · Health disparities and outcomes · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Medicine · Psychology · Gerontology