Les comportements résidentiels des retraités. Quelques enseignements du programme de recherche « Vieillissement de la population et habitat »

Abstract

This paper presents and analyses the key outcomes of the PUCA (Urban Development and Architecture Plan led by the French Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Substainable Development and Sea) research programme “Ageing and Living” which deals with retired people housing experiences. The approach given here refuses the stereotypes of elderly as enterprising and travelling “young seniors” or as disabled elders leaving in care institution by considering the diversity of retiree’s living conditions. Firstly, we identify different kind of housing experiences: free housing mobility (included new forms of mobility emerging from the comings and goings between different residences and from international mobility); stable housing; constrained mobility; compulsory housing; uncertain housing. Secondly, we suggest that these experiences are related to five notable concerns: economic, health, family, territory, wedded. We finally examine to what extent the retiree’s housing experiences change as they get older and emphasize the impact of national and local contexts on these experiences.

Keywords

• retired people
• elderly
• housing experience
• mobility
• ageing