Increasing numbers of older adults in Norway are moving from detached houses to more central urban areas. How do they experience this transition?
That is the question PhD candidate Maria Kjellesvik at the Department of Public Health Science is exploring in her research. The project is part of Ageing in a new place, led at NMBU, and is carried out as a PhD project from 2024 to 2027, funded by the university.
"We know that more older people are moving, but we know very little about how they experience living in these new neighbourhoods," says Kjellesvik.
Her work is set against a broader transformation: small towns and local centres across Norway are becoming denser and more urban, while policy encourages older adults to remain living independently for as long as possible.
Kjellesvik focuses on people aged roughly 70 to 80, examining how they experience both the physical and social environment after relocating. What works, and what doesn’t?
One of the findings challenges common assumptions.
"I expected the physical environment to present more barriers. But that’s not what we see. Most participants move around freely and do not experience major obstacles in their daily lives," she explains.
At the same time, proximity matters. Access to services, including healthcare, is consistently highlighted as important, even among relatively healthy older adults.
The project sheds light on a group that is often central to policy discussions yet rarely directly heard from.
"I hope this research can contribute to a better understanding of how older adults themselves experience these changing living environments,"
Contact
Curious about the project or potential collaboration? Get in touch with Maria Kjellesvik.