Housing typologies and loneliness among older persons

Loneliness is most often understood as a social and psychological phenomenon, while the role of the home and the built environment is rarely examined. In this report we highlight how different dimensions of the housing and neighbourhood environment may shape the experience of loneliness among older people.

The report draws on data from the DaneAge Association’s Future Study (Fremtidsstudie) conducted in 2021, with responses from nearly 5,000 people aged 50 to 89. It shows, among other things, that the level of loneliness varies by housing type – being highest among residents in apartment buildings and lowest among those living in single-family houses – and that older people who have lived in the same home for many years and reside close to family and friends experience less loneliness.

The report is an initial study that opens up the question of the role of the physical environment in shaping loneliness in later life and identifies key gaps for future research. It thereby provides a basis for considering loneliness in relation to housing and planning.