Susanne Iwarsson
Biographic Data
| ID | 3080286 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Susanne Iwarsson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Susanne |
| FAMILY NAME | Iwarsson |
| SIGNATURE | IWARSSON S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Lund University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-6670-7952 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 46 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 51 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 46 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2003 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Preferred housing attributes among adults aged 55 years and older with an expressed interest in relocation
The RELOC-AGE program addresses knowledge gaps on associations between housing, relocation, and active and healthy aging. The aim of this study was to investigate preferred housing attributes, and whether such attributes differed depending on desired type of dwelling or individual characteristics, among adults in Sweden aged 55 years and older with an expressed interest in relocation. From the Prospective RELOC-AGE cohort (N = 1,964), this study …
Aging in place or moving on? Exploring older homeowners’ housing situation in the context of housing market dynamics and policy incentives
Housing preferences in later life vary, and housing decisions are complex. While much attention has been paid to health and accessibility, less is known about how financial factors influence housing decisions among older homeowners. This qualitative study aimed to deepen understanding of how single-family homeowners aged 55 and older reason about their housing situation. We conducted focus groups with 30 participants from four Swedish municipalit…
Aging towards walkable futures: Insights from a multidisciplinary workshop held in Barcelona, Spain
This two-day workshop provided a space for professionals and public to comprehensively discuss walking at older ages. Participants highlighted the relevance of a better and more comprehensive assessment of walking; the need to shift focus towards comprehensive health that considers physical, emotional and social aspects as well as individuals' preferences and expectations; and the importance of translating research into action. Future work can dr…
Exploring housing trajectories in later life and their links to demographic, socioeconomic and health characteristics: The register Reloc-AGE study
The current study adds understanding of relocation trajectories as younger-old adults approach later life. Future research should consider adopting a life course perspective and a longer follow-up period to examine housing histories within different cultural and temporal contexts
The role of natural outdoor environment on Covid-19 mortality and hospitalisations among older community-dwellers in the pre-vaccination period: The Register Reloc-AGE cohort study in Sweden
A protective effect from residential natural outdoor environment on COVID-19 hospitalisation and death was suggested, but statistical uncertainty was substantial and the evidence thus inconclusive. Future investigations across diverse populations could shed more light on the role of residential living environments in mitigating the consequences of epidemics and pandemics
Staying or moving? Residential reasoning among older adults living in rural and urban disadvantaged areas
Disadvantaged areas may prompt or force older people to relocate due to a lack of services, the presence of crime, and area unattractiveness, but knowledge in this area is insufficient. The aim was to investigate whether older adults living in different types of disadvantaged areas in Sweden were considering moving away from the area, and to explore similarities and differences in underlying residential reasoning among older adults from urban or …
Towards evidence-based approaches to monitoring and evaluating age-friendly cities and communities: Reflections from the Western Pacific and Nordic Regions
Age-Friendly Cities and Communities (AFCC) is a key global WHO initiative aimed at fostering environments that promote healthy aging for everyone. As AFCC initiatives continue to expand, there is an increasing need to enhance monitoring and evaluation systems to effectively assess their progress and impact. However, significant knowledge gaps persist, particularly in the development of evaluation methods and AFCC indicators. Drawing on discussion…
Doctoral students’ experiences of being affiliated with an interdisciplinary graduate school in aging and health
The aim is to describe the development of a novel interdisciplinary graduate school, using the Swedish National Graduate School for Competitive Science on Ageing and Health (SWEAH) as a case example. We explore doctoral students’ perceptions of being part of SWEAH and provide implications for practice. Written self-reports reflecting 78 students’ experiences and perceptions were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal that affiliati…
Assessing housing accessibility issues for older adults in Japan: An expert panel approach to cross-cultural adaptation and content validity of the Japanese housing enabler
Translation and Psychometric Evaluation of the University of Jyvaskyla Active Aging Scale (Ujacas) for Use in Sweden
The objectives were to translate the University of Jyvaskyla Active Aging Scale (UJACAS) to Swedish, to establish semantic equivalence and evaluate psychometric properties for use among persons 55 years and older in Sweden. The UJACAS contains 17 items to be self-assessed regarding goals, abilities, opportunity, and activity. Psychometric properties content validity, data quality including floor and ceiling effects, test-retest reliability, inter…
Associations of Meaning of Home and Housing-Related Control Beliefs with Changes in Symptoms and Quality of Life: A Prospective Study Among Younger-Old Adults in Sweden
Feeling in control of one’s environment and perceiving one’s home as meaningful have been found to be associated with health and well-being among older adults. As longitudinal studies of younger-old adults are lacking, this study aimed to investigate whether this association exists over time among older adults around retirement age. Longitudinal data from a random cohort of community-dwelling older adults, ages 65–76 years (N = 329), was collecte…
Older women with a low pension, living in Sweden: Strategies to age in place and thoughts about future housing
Financial security influences good quality housing, health, and longevity, but few recent studies of the financial aspects of aging in place have been published. We explored strategies used to age in place and thoughts about future housing among women aged 65 and older living with a low pension in Sweden. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 13 women aged 65 and older with a low pension, followed by thematic analysis. Three th…
Moving in together in later life: Making spaces into places as a joint endeavor
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 proce…
Light, activity, and sleep: Design and usability evaluations of a web-based course supporting changes to routines and the home
While research indicates that indoor lighting, exposure to daylight, physical activity, and sleep interact to influence functioning, mood, and daily rhythm, strategies are needed to support behavioral changes among older adults who often spend more time at home after retirement. The objective was to design a web-based course to encourage behavior change related to light, activity, and sleep. Grounded in the information-motivation-behavioral skill…
Scrutinizing the collaboration criterion in research: How do policy ambitions play out in proposals and assessments
Based on a commission by one of the Swedish Research Council, which has high ambitions to strengthen the collaboration between academia and society, this study aimed to reveal how researchers describe the collaboration with partners outside the university in research proposals. Globally, collaboration is advocated to bridge research-practice gaps and address complex societal challenges. This study scrutinizes how the collaboration criterion was o…
Perceived Housing in Relation to Retirement and Relocation: A Qualitative Interview Study among Older Adults
As people age the home environment becomes increasingly important. Retirement commonly leads to spending more time in one's home, and relocating from your own home in older age could be associated with reduced health or wellbeing. The relationship between home and person is complex and perceived aspects of one's housing such as social, emotional and cognitive ties are considered important factors for health and wellbeing. However, little is known…
Collaboration in Grant Proposals and Assessments in Ageing Research – Justification or a Quest for a Collaborology
Orientation towards application, transdisciplinarity and social distribution are prominent ideas when policy prescribes how to conduct research on complex, real-world issues. Issues dealt with in ageing research are both epistemologically complex and politically contentious. By using the metaphor of ‘travelling ideas,' we have followed these ideas on their journey into 17 approved grant proposals on ageing and their assessments in Sweden in 2016.…
Understanding the Wicked Problem of Providing Accessible Housing for the Ageing Population in Sweden
While accessible housing is known as important to promote healthy ageing, the societal issue of providing accessible housing for the ageing population bears the characteristics of a "wicked problem". The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of crucial variables for decision-making about the provision of accessible housing for the ageing population in Sweden. Materials used for a deductive content analysis were elicited through a r…
Perceived Opportunities for Physical Activity and Willingness to Be More Active in Older Adults with Different Physical Activity Levels
This study examined equity in physical activity (PA) by investigating whether perceived opportunity for PA was associated with willingness to be more active. Among community residents (75, 80, or 85 years old, n = 962) perceived opportunity for PA (poor and good), willingness to be more active (not at all, a bit, and a lot), and level of PA (low, moderate, and high) were assessed via questionnaires. Multinomial logistic regression showed that phy…
An Aging Population and an Aging Housing stock – Housing Accessibility Problems in Typical Swedish Dwellings
A large proportion of the Swedish housing stock was built when policymakers and housing industry rarely considered housing accessibility issues. More than 80% of Swedish citizens aged 65+ live in dwellings built before 1980. Using detailed research data from onsite observations, we explored housing accessibility issues for people with different complexities of functional limitations. Four typical dwellings were selected, two from the 1960s and tw…
Associations among housing accessibility, housing-related control beliefs and independence in activities of daily living: A cross-sectional study among younger old in Sweden
There is some evidence that housing accessibility, external housing-related control beliefs (HCB) and activities of daily living (ADL) are associated in complex ways; however, these pathways have not been explored in younger old. The aim was to assess the role of external HCB in the relationship between housing accessibility and ADL by applying moderation and mediation models. This was a cross-sectional study involving 366 community-living 67–70 …
Environmental Challenges in the Home for Ageing Societies: A Comparison of Sweden and Japan
BUS TRIPS—A Self-Management Program for People with Cognitive Impairments after Stroke
Stroke is a major cause of disability worldwide and different types of impairments can affect the individual's ability to manage everyday activities such as travel that is essential for participation in society. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a new self-management intervention (BUS TRIPS) focusing on travelling by bus, and potential contributions to an improved ability to travel by bus for people with cognitive im…
Changes in Home and Health over Nine Years among very Old People in Latvia – Results from the Enable-AGE Project
To meet the needs of an increasing, heterogeneous, ageing population it is imperative to understand links between home and health. In Latvia, only limited research targeting the health and home situation of very old people is available. Consequently, the aim of this study was to describe how the home environment and aspects of health have changed over nine years between 2002 and 2011 for very old people in Latvia, living in their home environment…
A public health perspective to environmental barriers and accessibility problems for senior citizens living in ordinary housing
Despite a high housing standard in the Swedish ordinary housing stock the results show substantial accessibility problems for senior citizens with functional limitations. To make housing accessible large-scale and systematic efforts are required
Residential normalcy and environmental experiences of very old people: Changes in residential reasoning over time
Associations Between Environmental Characteristics and Life-Space Mobility in Community-Dwelling Older People
Perceptions of one's environment may either constrain or extend older people's life-space. Longitudinal studies are needed to study the causality of the findings
Exploring Mobility in Public Environments among People with Cognitive Functional Limitations-Challenges and Implications for Planning
Mobility in public environments is an important part of people’s everyday life. However, living with functional limitations often means limited mobility. To plan for public environments that enable mobility for everybody, knowledge about various user groups’ mobility is important. Up until now, knowledge concerning the mobility of people with cognitive functional limitations has been scarce. The aim of this paper is to explore, from experts’ pers…
An Aging Population and an Aging Housing stock – Housing Accessibility Problems in Typical Swedish Dwellings
A large proportion of the Swedish housing stock was built when policymakers and housing industry rarely considered housing accessibility issues. More than 80% of Swedish citizens aged 65+ live in dwellings built before 1980. Using detailed research data from onsite observations, we explored housing accessibility issues for people with different complexities of functional limitations. Four typical dwellings were selected, two from the 1960s and tw…
Life Satisfaction in Older Women in Latvia and Sweden—Relations to Standard of Living, Aspects of Health and Coping Behaviour
Defining Profiles of Functional Limitations in Groups of Older Persons: How and Why
The use of type profiles has potential to contribute to the knowledge of combinations of functional limitations among groups of older persons. Variation in predicted accessibility problems for different type profiles helps identifying priorities in societal planning
Changes in Home and Health over Nine Years among very Old People in Latvia – Results from the Enable-AGE Project
To meet the needs of an increasing, heterogeneous, ageing population it is imperative to understand links between home and health. In Latvia, only limited research targeting the health and home situation of very old people is available. Consequently, the aim of this study was to describe how the home environment and aspects of health have changed over nine years between 2002 and 2011 for very old people in Latvia, living in their home environment…
A European Perspective on the Service Delivery Systems for Assistive Technology – Differences and Similarities Between Latvia and Sweden
A Swedish Prevalence Study of Deaf People Using Sign Language: A prerequisite for Deaf studies
A widely used estimate claims that one per thousand individuals is deaf, but few recent studies exist on the actual prevalence. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of deaf people, defined as deaf individuals who use sign language as their main mode of communication, in the county of Scania, Sweden. To achieve high validity, data were collected from a large variety of sources including both public institutions and voluntary ass…
Associations among housing accessibility, housing-related control beliefs and independence in activities of daily living: A cross-sectional study among younger old in Sweden
There is some evidence that housing accessibility, external housing-related control beliefs (HCB) and activities of daily living (ADL) are associated in complex ways; however, these pathways have not been explored in younger old. The aim was to assess the role of external HCB in the relationship between housing accessibility and ADL by applying moderation and mediation models. This was a cross-sectional study involving 366 community-living 67–70 …
A Swedish Prevalence Study of Deaf People Using Sign Language: A prerequisite for Deaf studies
A widely used estimate claims that one per thousand individuals is deaf, but few recent studies exist on the actual prevalence. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of deaf people, defined as deaf individuals who use sign language as their main mode of communication, in the county of Scania, Sweden. To achieve high validity, data were collected from a large variety of sources including both public institutions and voluntary ass…
Relationships Between Housing and Healthy Aging in Very Old Age
PURPOSE: The aim of this work is to examine the relationship between aspects of objective and perceived housing and aspects of healthy aging, defined as independence in daily activities and subjective well-being. Furthermore, this research examined the comparability of relationships between housing and healthy aging in the five European countries. DESIGN AND METHODS: Data were drawn from the ENABLE-AGE Project, from home interviews with a sample …
Importance of the Home Environment for Healthy Aging: Conceptual and Methodological Background of the European Enable–AGE Project
Currently in Europe as well as in the United States, an increasing proportion of very old people remain living in their homes despite declines in physical and mental health. Together with the fact that the population of very old people is rapidly increasing (Mathers, Sadana, Salamon, Murray, & Lopez, 2001; United Nations Development Programme, 2001), this poses new challenges to societal planning and housing development (Gitlin, 2003). In additio…
The Home Environment and Disability-Related Outcomes in Aging Individuals: What Is the Empirical Evidence?
PURPOSE: Building on the disablement process model and the concept of person-environment fit (p-e fit), this review article examines 2 critical questions concerning the role of home environments: (a) What is the recent evidence supporting a relationship between home environments and disability-related outcomes? and (b) What is the recent evidence regarding the effects of home modifications on disability-related outcomes? DESIGN AND METHODS: Using…
Defining Profiles of Functional Limitations in Groups of Older Persons: How and Why
The use of type profiles has potential to contribute to the knowledge of combinations of functional limitations among groups of older persons. Variation in predicted accessibility problems for different type profiles helps identifying priorities in societal planning
Exploring Mobility in Public Environments among People with Cognitive Functional Limitations-Challenges and Implications for Planning
Mobility in public environments is an important part of people’s everyday life. However, living with functional limitations often means limited mobility. To plan for public environments that enable mobility for everybody, knowledge about various user groups’ mobility is important. Up until now, knowledge concerning the mobility of people with cognitive functional limitations has been scarce. The aim of this paper is to explore, from experts’ pers…
Aging Well and the Environment: Toward an Integrative Model and Research Agenda for the Future
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The effects of the physical-spatial-technical environment on aging well have been overlooked both conceptually and empirically. In the spirit of M. Powell Lawton's seminal work on aging and environment, this article attempts to rectify this situation by suggesting a new model of how older people interact with their environment. RESULTS: The model builds on a pair of concepts: environment as related to agency and belonging, f…
Individual and environmental factors underlying life space of older people – study protocol and design of a cohort study on life-space mobility in old age (Lispe)
Our study, which includes extensive data collection with a large sample, provides a unique opportunity to study topics of importance for aging societies. A novel approach is employed which enables us to study the interactions of environmental features and individual characteristics underlying the life-space of older people. Potentially, the results of this study will contribute to improvements in strategies to postpone or prevent progression to d…
Life Satisfaction in Older Women in Latvia and Sweden—Relations to Standard of Living, Aspects of Health and Coping Behaviour
Voices on Relocation and Aging in Place in Very Old Age--A Complex and Ambivalent Matter
PURPOSE: This cross-national qualitative study explores how very old people reflect upon relocation and aging in place. DESIGN AND METHODS: Swedish and German data are utilized in this study. About 80 community-living participants, 80-89 years of age, were interviewed with open-ended questions at home by trained interviewers. The interviews were analyzed by using conventional qualitative content analyses. RESULTS: Reasoning about relocation or ag…
Environmental barriers, person-environment fit and mortality among community-dwelling very old people
Specific environmental problems may increase mortality risk among very-old single-living people. However, the association may be confounded by individuals' health status which is difficult to fully control for. Further studies are called for
Home and Health in the Third Age — Methodological Background and Descriptive Findings
Background: The understanding of the complex relationship between the home environment, well-being and daily functioning in the third age is currently weak. The aim of this paper is to present the methodological background of the Home and Health in the Third Age Study, and describe a sample of men and women in relation to their home and health situation. Methods and Design: The study sample included 371 people aged 67–70, living in ordinary housi…
Associations Between Environmental Characteristics and Life-Space Mobility in Community-Dwelling Older People
Perceptions of one's environment may either constrain or extend older people's life-space. Longitudinal studies are needed to study the causality of the findings
Residential normalcy and environmental experiences of very old people: Changes in residential reasoning over time
Cross-National User Priorities for Housing Provision and Accessibility — Findings from the European innovAge Project
To develop an innovative information and communication technology (ICT) tool intended to help older people in their search for optimal housing solutions, a first step in the development process is to gain knowledge from the intended users. Thus the aim of this study was to deepen the knowledge about needs and expectations about housing options as expressed and prioritized by older people, people ageing with disabilities and professionals. A parti…
Adaptive Strategies and Person-Environment Fit among Functionally Limited Older Adults Aging in Place: A Mixed Methods Approach
Older adults prefer to age in place, necessitating a match between person and environment, or person-environment (P-E) fit. In occupational therapy practice, home modifications can support independence, but more knowledge is needed to optimize interventions targeting the housing situation of older adults. In response, this study aimed to explore the accessibility and usability of the home environment to further understand adaptive environmental b…
Typology of person-environment fit constellations: A platform addressing accessibility problems in the built environment for people with functional limitations
The main contribution of this study is the proposed typology of person-environment fit constellations. The typology provides a methodological platform for the identification and quantification of problematic person-environment fit constellations. Its link to the globally accepted ICF classification system facilitates communication within the scientific and health care practice communities. The typology also highlights how relations between aspect…
Changes in life-space mobility and quality of life among community-dwelling older people: A 2-year follow-up study
Assessment and analysis of housing accessibility: Adapting the environmental component of the housing enabler to United States applications
A European Perspective on the Service Delivery Systems for Assistive Technology – Differences and Similarities Between Latvia and Sweden
A public health perspective to environmental barriers and accessibility problems for senior citizens living in ordinary housing
Despite a high housing standard in the Swedish ordinary housing stock the results show substantial accessibility problems for senior citizens with functional limitations. To make housing accessible large-scale and systematic efforts are required
Do Associations Between Perceived Environmental and Individual Characteristics and Walking Limitations Depend on Lower Extremity Performance Level
The environmental correlates of walking limitations seem to depend on the level of lower extremity performance
BUS TRIPS—A Self-Management Program for People with Cognitive Impairments after Stroke
Stroke is a major cause of disability worldwide and different types of impairments can affect the individual's ability to manage everyday activities such as travel that is essential for participation in society. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a new self-management intervention (BUS TRIPS) focusing on travelling by bus, and potential contributions to an improved ability to travel by bus for people with cognitive im…
Changes in Home and Health over Nine Years among very Old People in Latvia – Results from the Enable-AGE Project
To meet the needs of an increasing, heterogeneous, ageing population it is imperative to understand links between home and health. In Latvia, only limited research targeting the health and home situation of very old people is available. Consequently, the aim of this study was to describe how the home environment and aspects of health have changed over nine years between 2002 and 2011 for very old people in Latvia, living in their home environment…
Associations among housing accessibility, housing-related control beliefs and independence in activities of daily living: A cross-sectional study among younger old in Sweden
There is some evidence that housing accessibility, external housing-related control beliefs (HCB) and activities of daily living (ADL) are associated in complex ways; however, these pathways have not been explored in younger old. The aim was to assess the role of external HCB in the relationship between housing accessibility and ADL by applying moderation and mediation models. This was a cross-sectional study involving 366 community-living 67–70 …
Medicine (31 works) · Psychology (28 works) · Migration, Aging, and Tourism Studies (23 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (22 works) · Gerontology (20 works) · Sociology (19 works) · Computer Science (12 works) · Environmental health (12 works) · Social Psychology (12 works) · Geography (11 works)