Older adults are happier when space matches personality

Date:
July 29, 2021
Source:
University of Texas at Austin
Summary:
A study has found photos of a person's living space can accurately
point at personality traits and the mood of the people who live
there, especially as a person gets older. Applying the findings
could help lead to happier lives, including for older adults with
frailty or cognitive impairment that has led them to be transferred
from their homes to long- term care facilities.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The old saying, "Home is where the heart is," has some new science to back
it up. A study has found photos of a person's living space can accurately
point at personality traits and the mood of the people who live there, especially as a person gets older.


==========================================================================
For the study, scientists at The University of Texas at Austin studied
286 people over the age of 65. They took photographs of the rooms where
the subjects spent the most time (typically the living room) and found
that certain characteristics of a person's personality were reflected
in core elements of room de'cor. Applying the findings could help lead
to happier lives, including for older adults with frailty or cognitive impairment that has led them to be transferred from their homes to
long-term care facilities.

"People who have a match between personality and living space report
better well-being, and they feel better about their life and have a
better mood," said Karen Fingerman, professor of human development and
family sciences at The University of Texas at Austin and director of
the Texas Aging and Longevity Center. "Home is where we can express
ourselves." The researchers analyzed participants' personalities and
took photos of the room where each person spent the most time. As part
of a first-of-its-kind study, independent examiners looked at the photos
and rated characteristics of the room, such as brightness, cleanliness
and newness. The results were published online in the journal The
Gerontologist earlier this month.

Extraversion was expressed in room de'cor with newness of items in the
room and cheerfulness of de'cor. This may come from a desire to make
the room appealing to visiting friends and family, researchers said.

Conscientiousness was associated with newness and comfort. Because
orderliness and organization are key components of that personality trait,
that may explain the association.



========================================================================== Agreeableness, openness and neuroticism were not associated with room
de'cor for everyone, scientists found. But openness was evident in the
de'cor for older adults who live alone, suggesting that people who live
with others may not have as much latitude to express their personalities
in their room de'cor.

Importantly, when a living space matches the personality and preferences
of the person who lives there, older adults reported enhanced well-being.

The goal for many older adults is to grow older in their own homes,
but as they encountered functional limitations, such as not being able
to walk or climb stairs, their homes became out-of-date, uncomfortable,
dim and cluttered.

Scientists said this may be because those adults have less energy to
maintain their spaces.

Surprisingly, for adults with functional limitations, clutter was
associated with fewer symptoms of depression.

"Clutter may represent an effort to exert control over the environment," Fingerman said. "They may also wish to keep items close at hand to
compensate for mobility issues." Researchers said this study suggests
that older adults with functional limitations may benefit from a little
help around the house, but cleaning and maintenance should be done in collaboration. What looks like clutter to one person may be an arrangement
that makes an older adult more comfortable.

Long-term care facilities that allow for greater latitude in room de'cor
to improve the mood of residents also may see benefits.

"There is no one ideal way to create a living space," Fingerman said. "It
has to match the person." Yijung K. Kim, Shiyang Zhang and Yee To Ng
at UT Austin and Kira S. Birditt of the University of Michigan also
contributed to the research. The research was funded by the National
Institute on Aging and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Texas_at_Austin. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Karen L Fingerman, Yijung K Kim, Shiyang Zhang, Yee To Ng, Kira S
Birditt. Late Life in the Living Room: Room De'cor, Functional
Limitations, and Personality. The Gerontologist, 2021; DOI:
10.1093/ geront/gnab093 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210729143431.htm

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