Aging in the Right Place Research Study

NSF-funded researchers at the University of Minnesota investigate how neighborhood environments affect the health and wellbeing of community-dwelling older residents across the Minneapolis metropolitan area.

Project Supervisor: Jessica Finlay, PhD Candidate
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Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN
The majority of older Americans live in single-family home communities designed for the able and mobile. These neighborhoods are increasingly unsuitable for aging residents, but a growing number either choose not to or cannot afford to move to the limited supply of accessible supportive housing. 

Older people overwhelmingly prefer to "age in place" – to stay in their homes or apartments for as long as possible, rather than moving to new settings. But this is increasingly a challenge given unsupportive infrastructure. 
The NSF-funded research project bridges geography and gerontology to focus in-depth on local experiences of later life. It critically considers how neighborhood environments across the Twin Cities area affect the physical, mental, and social welfare of older residents.

3-13-17 John Hines Show 11AM
Audio: ​32:42
​
Jessica Finlay, an environmental gerontologist at the University of Minnesota talks about her research into making Cities more accessable for the eldery and John takes calls on what people think should happen to Surdyks for opening on Sunday's four months early. 

What helps Minnesota seniors age in place? U researcher has some clues

​February 24, 2017
By Claude Peck, Star Tribune
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Jan and Art Larson on the balcony of their downtown Minneapolis condo.
Researcher finds it's the little things — like benches and safe crosswalks — that make life better for aging Minnesotans.
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University of Minnesota doctoral candidate Jessica Finlay focuses on how senior citizens interact with their homes and neighborhoods.

"Aging in (the Right?) Place" Research Study Overview

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"Aging in (the Right?) Place" Research Study Areas

Case Study Areas

(1) North Minneapolis
(2) Downtown Minneapolis
(3) Eden Prairie 

Phase I: 

Interviews and neighbourhood tours with community-dwelling older residents living in North Minneapolis, Downtown Minneapolis, and Eden Prairie. 
  • Interview: Researchers will interview participants in their home or a nearby public place of their choosing. The interview will last approximately 60 minutes, and be audio recorded. Researchers will ask about daily routines, social and community engagements, and experiences in and opinions of the neighborhood.  
  • "Tour" of the Neighbourhood: After the interview concludes, participants will be asked to take researchers for a quick "tour" of the home and neighborhood. This mobile interview will last approximately 15 minutes, though the length of time, route, speed, and mode of transit are completely up to participants. Most often the "tour" consists of a walk around the block where we can chat informally and see the neighborhood together.

Phase II:

Follow-up sessions with select interview participants. 
  • Researchers will spend more time with randomly selected participants to learn more about their daily routines, interactions, and everyday life. 
  • Phase II participants will spend 5 to 10 mornings and/or afternoons with a researcher over an 9 to 12-month period (ideally 3-5 hours once a month, 15-30 hours total). A researcher will follow along a participants' daily routine in ordinary settings of their choosing (e.g. around the home/neighborhood, at the grocery store), and informally chat with participants about your everyday life.

Phase III: 

Interviews with municipal staff, community organizations, and local representatives regarding aging demographics in the Twin Cities
  • Researchers will interview staff members of municipal departments, service providers, and community representatives.
  • Jessica will offer to present and share findings with staff. Departments/organizations/leaders can benefit from the study by learning new strategies and methods to improve the health and wellbeing of diverse constituents, particularly aging citizens. 
Any questions? Please contact Jessica Finlay at finla039@umn.edu