Main aim:
to examine, in a European perspective, the home environment as a determinant for autonomy, participation, well-being and health in old age and by this create recommendations for healthy housing solutions across Europe.

• Especially in very old age
• Especially when living in private households
• Especially when living alone
• Different In different European countries (e.g., West vs. East)

e.g., to optimise healthy housing solutions
e.g., to enable and support independence, activity and participation
e.g., to prevent illness, declined health, and institutionalisation

Main Objectives:
1.To examine the interplay of objective housing circumstances (e.g., access) and subjective evaluations of the home (e.g., place attachment) among very old people.
Description of person-environment fit.
2.To examine the relation of objective and subjective housing circumstances on the one side and autonomy, participation, and well-being on the other side.
Identification of country-specific person-environment constellations (fit or misfit).
3.To examine the predictive role of observed objective housing circumstances and subjective evaluations of the home environment over time.
Promotion of future societal support and citizens' potential to live independently as long as possible.

Further Objectives:
4.To examine country-specific housing-related societal support as represented in personal situations, e.g., as concerns effects of housing adaptations.
Focusing the inside perspective and the proactive involvement of participants.
5. To provide a macro level update of housing policies, relevant legislation, norms and regulations, type of housing, and typical pathways of housing decisions in the participating countries.
Dealing efficiently with various social and cultural situations in different EU countries to promote healthy ageing of the population at large.
6.To provide an optimised standard methodology for the EU, comprising measures on objective and subjective dimensions of the home environment, and relevant measures of functional health.
Individual case management, planning housing for sub-groups at risk, managing housing issues, providing data bases for consumer and social policy decisions.
7. To provide and disseminate evidence-based policy recommendations and guidelines for housing.
Maintaining autonomy, participation, and well-being in older adults across Europe.

Method
Objectives 1-3: ENABLE-AGE Survey Study
Administration of well-proven measurements at home-visits with 2,000 very old people, covering
- Basic demographics, socio-structural background
- Objective person-environment fit (e.g., housing conditions, sensory and functional limitations)
- Subjective evaluations of the environment (e.g., place attachment, meaning of home)
- Psychological components (e.g., control beliefs, coping styles)
- Facets of the outcome of healthy ageing (e.g., life satisfaction, emotional well-being).
To understand transactional processes: Longitudinal design with a one-year interval.
Objective 4: ENABLE-AGE In-depth Studies
Administration of qualitative semi-structured interviews at home-visits with a sub-sample of 200 participants, completed in two stages.
Objective 5: ENABLE-AGE Update Review
Accomplishment of a five-country macro level update of housing policies and legislation, based on existing databases available and consultation with relevant experts in the field.
Objectives 6-7: Home Assessment Methodology Package
Based on the three parts of the study, recommendations in housing policies and a practical tool for the assessment of home environments and their impact on healthy ageing will be developed.

Sample of the ENABLE-AGE Survey Study

Age (at T1)	Gender	Sweden	Germany	UK	Hungary	Latvia	Total
75-79 years old	Women	------	------	------	150	150	400
	Men	------	------	------	50	50
80-84 years old	Women	150	150	150	150	150	1000
	Men	50	50	50	50	50
85-89 years old	Women	150	150	150	------	------	600
	Men	50	50	50	------	------
Total N (T1)		400	400	400	400	400	2000
Expected N (T2)		350	350	350	350	350	1750

Urban Sample
Not representative
Stratified for age and gender
Different onset of “Forth Age” in East vs. West European countries

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