Vieillir en résidence privée pour aînés à Montréal : entre appropriation de l’espace résidentiel et adaptation aux changements

Abstract

The market for private seniors' residences (RPAs) in Montreal is characterized by high demand. For the elderly, moving to this type of housing is a strategy for coping with various forms of vulnerability. The interaction between the person and his or her environment can be influenced by the latter. This environment can promote the inclusion, however it can also be disabling. With individual, economic and social changes affecting personal abilities and resources, the elderly person seeks, through this move, to reconstitute his or her zone of mastery, where he or she feels competent and in control of his or her environment. The architectural features of the residence should meet some of the health and safety needs of seniors, as they must conform to requirements to obtain a certificate of conformity and register as a private seniors' residence, but other design needs may be overlooked. In addition, the zoning regulations in the areas where these residences are located do not establish specific regulations for this type of accommodation. Then, the neighborhoods in which these residences are located are often changing, affecting seniors' living habits and their control over their environment. In this way, the environment can influence how the person interacts with it. It can promote inclusion, by taking into account the individual's abilities and responding to his or her needs, otherwise, it can contribute to the development of a process leading to exclusion. The aim of our research is to understand the contribution of this residential space to the person's adaptation to the changes and his or her sense of "home". We began by defining what onstitutes residential space, taking into consideration the three scales of the elderly person's environment: architectural, immediate to the residence and the neighborhood in which it is located. Using a mixed-methods approach, a survey was conducted to determine which architectural and urban attributes are important to the elderly in terms of their needs and expectations. Field observations were also carried out to assess the environment's response to seniors' needs. Through semi-structured interviews (n=31), we identified the factors behind this residential choice. We studied the strategies adopted by seniors to recreate a home after moving into seniors’ residence, and to avoid difficulties that arise with personal and environmental changes. The results revealed that security was required at both architectural and urban levels. In the residential area, needs are poorly met. Residences play a crucial role in the inclusion of seniors in their residential environment and in the creation of a sense of home. This role is reflected in the provision of an environment that enables autonomy, mobility and, consequently, social participation to be maintained as long as possible. However, this form of residential mobility is in favor of people who decide to move out at a very young age, around 65, but recreating home becomes difficult for people with loss of autonomy who can't take advantage of the quality/y of life provided by the RPA. The market for private seniors' residences (RPAs) in Montreal is characterized by high demand. For the elderly, moving to this type of housing is a strategy for coping with various forms of vulnerability. The interaction between the person and his or her environment can be influenced by the latter. This environment can promote the inclusion, however it can also be disabling. With individual, economic and social changes affecting personal abilities and resources, the elderly person seeks, through this move, to reconstitute his or her zone of mastery, where he or she feels competent and in control of his or her environment. The architectural features of the residence should meet some of the health and safety needs of seniors, as they must conform to requirements to obtain a certificate of conformity and register as a private seniors' residence, but other design needs may be overlooked. In addition, the zoning regulations in the areas where these residences are located do not establish specific regulations for this type of accommodation. Then, the neighborhoods in which these residences are located are often changing, affecting seniors' living habits and their control over their environment. In this way, the environment can influence how the person interacts with it. It can promote inclusion, by taking into account the individual's abilities and responding to his or her needs, otherwise, it can contribute to the development of a process leading to exclusion. The aim of our research is to understand the contribution of this residential space to the person's adaptation to the changes and his or her sense of "home". We began by defining what onstitutes residential space, taking into consideration the three scales of the elderly person's environment: architectural, immediate to the residence and the neighborhood in which it is located. Using a mixed-methods approach, a survey was conducted to determine which architectural and urban attributes are important to the elderly in terms of their needs and expectations. Field observations were also carried out to assess the environment's response to seniors' needs. Through semi-structured interviews (n=31), we identified the factors behind this residential choice. We studied the strategies adopted by seniors to recreate a home after moving into seniors’ residence, and to avoid difficulties that arise with personal and environmental changes. The results revealed that security was required at both architectural and urban levels. In the residential area, needs are poorly met. Residences play a crucial role in the inclusion of seniors in their residential environment and in the creation of a sense of home. This role is reflected in the provision of an environment that enables autonomy, mobility and, consequently, social participation to be maintained as long as possible. However, this form of residential mobility is in favor of people who decide to move out at a very young age, around 65, but recreating home becomes difficult for people with loss of autonomy who can't take advantage of the quality/y of life provided by the RPA.