Anticipating old age? How Baby Boomers young retirees are "adapting" their housing

This paper aims to provide a better understanding of how housing is adapted in relation to ageing. It offers a different outlook on the issue by focusing on "Baby Boomers" young retirees rather than very elderly people with functional limitations. It studies all the changes the retirees are making, or wish to make, to their houses. The aim of the study is to know to what extent young retirees are anticipating old age and adapting their home to their (forthcoming) ageing. The findings are based on a qualitative study, comprised of an interview and a guided visit of the house of 47 young retiree couples who are home owners. The paper is structured in three parts. The first part aims to examine to what extent the young retirees are planning for old age and are anticipating adaptations to their homes. The second part explores a social phenomenon which is very present in this generation : the search for comfort. An interesting point is that changes in the house made on behalf of comfort are partly similar to what professionals regard as adaptations of housing to ageing. Lastly, the third part deals with another way of adapting housing which is very present in the interviews, for now or in the future : residential mobility.