ARE WE PAYING HOUSING ADAPTATIONS OURSELVES?: ANSWERS FROM THE SPANISH ELDERLY OR DISABLED

摘要

In Spain, public social programs, administered at local, regional and national levels have led to housing adaptations, accessibility interventions, and supportive technologies for elderly and disabled people creating awareness of the needs for ageing in place. A nascent private market has advanced through the decline in public funding and several questions new arise: do families with disabled members (mainly old aged) spend their own money on adaptations when public support is not available? What conditions drive this private expense? Data from the Spanish survey EDAD 2008 (INE 2012) is used to run binary logistic models based on the underlying ecological theory of ageing to explain drivers of private expenditure on adaptations. Findings show how different sociodemographic, economic, health and housing variables impact on willingness to spend privately. These results can help public programs, awareness and funding in areas where needs are not being covered by households themselves.