Moving Can Be Positive for Well-Being
The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College examined the moving decisions of older Americans by studying both movers and the non-movers, or those who chose the familiar comforts of a home and neighborhood over the uncertain potential of a new location or lifestyle in their later years. The study measured psychological well-being composed of positive feelings (happiness and enjoyment of life) and negative feelings (loneliness, depression and sadness). Those who moved from the family home experienced a  greater increase in psychological well-being than those who chose to age in place.

But there’s more. Among the older Americans who chose to move, the study identified 2 general types or sub-categories:
• The Planners — who are able to affirmatively plan a move
• The Reactors — who are forced to relocate based on a change in their circumstances (e.g., death of a spouse, divorce, hospitalization or skilled nursing admission, loss of a job, etc.)
Prior to the study, the research team hypothesized that The Planners would have greater, more positive increases in well-being, as opposed to The Reactors, who were moving because of a change in circumstance. The actual results were interesting, especially when compared to those not moving at all.
It was true that planners experienced a greater positive change in well-being than reactors. However, the movers — both The Planners and The Reactors — had more positive changes in well-being than the non-movers. The results suggest that moving helps improve psychological well-being, even for those who experienced a life-altering circumstance. The findings seem to contradict the common sociological notion of aging in place — that older adults maximize their psychological well-being when they remain in their homes.
Now, you may be saying to yourself — We know all this. As senior living professionals, we experience it firsthand every day. What’s your point? Simply put, now there’s written proof that increased psychological well-being is a major benefit offered by community living. Real evidence is good — and offers great support for your marketing efforts!
You can read all the findings in a September 2009 brief posted by the research team on the Center for Retirement
Research web site.
Source: Older Americans on the Go: Financial and Psychological Effects of Moving, by Esteban Calvo, Kelly
Haverstick and Natalia A. Zhivan. September 2009, Number 9-19.