October 2025

GERIATRICS

INFLUENCERS OF OLDER ADULTS CHANGING DECISIONS ABOUT AGING-IN-PLACE VERSUS LONG-TERM CARE

A Northwestern Medicine study, led by Lee A. Lindquist, MD, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, aimed to explore the factors that influence older adults to alter their plans about aging-in-place (AIP) versus moving to long-term care (LTC) facilities.

Researchers analyzed data from the PlanYourLifespan study, focusing on older adults who changed their decisions regarding AIP or LTC over a six-month period. By interviewing participants, the study identified themes that influenced their decision-making processes.

Out of 293 participants, close to half (134) reported a shift in their AIP/LTC decisions. Five main themes emerged:
  1. Personal health experiences
  2. Health experiences of loved ones
  3. Increased contemplation of living preferences
  4. Influences from their social support networks
  5. Resistance to acknowledging change

This study was the first to examine the factors that influence fluctuating AIP/LTC decision-making among older adults. Read More
​Lee Lindquist, MD  Chief of Geriatrics in the Department of Medicine and the George M. Eisenberg Research Professor of Geriatric Medicine 

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