Implications of Aging in Place in the Context of the Residential Environment: Bibliometric Analysis and Literature Review

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Oct 10;20(20):6905. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20206905.

Abstract

The residential environment's impact on aging in place is a multidisciplinary field that draws from architecture, urban planning, gerontology, psychology, and sociology. This multidisciplinary nature makes it challenging to comprehensively understand the field and identify the connections and interactions among disciplines. A bibliometric analysis is crucial for exploring the field's intellectual structure, identifying interdisciplinary collaborations, and tracking the knowledge flow across disciplines and will facilitate cross-disciplinary dialogue, foster collaboration, and encourage research that integrates diverse perspectives. This study reviewed the literature on aging in place in the context of a residential environment, which required adapting theories and methodologies. It analyzed a dataset of 1500 publications retrieved from the Web of Science, applied performance analysis techniques, and utilized VOSviewer to visualize the intellectual structure and evolving research themes. The results emphasize the increasing strength of academic interest and the growing diversity of fields related to the topic. The findings are discussed in terms of productivity, collaboration, and research themes from the past to the future. The results provide a roadmap for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners worldwide who focus on aging in place and acknowledge the importance of considering the physical, social, and cultural aspects of an older adult's living environment.

Keywords: aging at home; aging in community; aging in place; bibliometric analysis; residential environments.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bibliometrics
  • Environment
  • Geriatrics*
  • Independent Living*
  • Social Environment

Grants and funding

The present research paper was funded by a research grant from Kwangwoon University in 2022(2022-0251). This work also was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) and a grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No. 2022R1G1A1003663).