Abstract / Summary
Abstract This scoping review synthesises qualitative evidence on the factors shaping housing transitions among older adults in Europe. Housing transitions are understood here as voluntary or involuntary moves, or significant changes in living arrangement, made in response to age-related needs and circumstances. The review focused on non-institutional and non-hospital-discharge contexts to better understand decision-making under everyday conditions. Following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, refined by Levac et al., searches of Scopus, Web of Science and ASSIA identified 33 eligible studies, including 17 from the United Kingdom and 16 from other European countries. The findings show that housing decisions in later life are not single, rational events, but dynamic and relational processes shaped by health, functional change, attachment to home, family relationships, housing conditions, financial resources, and the availability of support and suitable alternatives. Across studies, ageing-in-place remained a strong preference, but relocation was often framed to preserve autonomy, safety and future security. The review also highlights inequalities in decision-making capacity, with more advantaged groups having greater scope to plan. The evidence suggests that later-life housing transitions are shaped by the interaction of personal circumstances and wider housing and care systems.