The preferences, positions and priorities of residents of Extra Care and Retirement Housing: a Q methodology study to expose, explore and seek explanations for the micro preferences, meso positions and macro priorities of older people living in affordable and social rented Extra Care and Retirement Housing properties in England

This thesis seeks to provide insights into the interdependence of the micro preferences, meso positions and macro priorities of older people living in affordable Retirement Housing and Extra Care properties in England. Despite Extra Care and Retirement Housing being long established and much discussed forms of specialist housing provision for older people, there still appears to be a lack of clarity or understanding about why these forms of provision exist, what services and facilities they should provide and how to address the priorities of the residents who live in them. In order to expose and explore the mix of similar and different perspectives of residents and avoid the study being confined to existing theories and assumptions, Q methodology was adopted to support an abductive research strategy. Q studies were undertaken with 68 Extra Care residents from 5 sites and 157 Retirement Housing residents from 11 sites to provide the variables that were subject to factor analysis. Patterns of preference are identified that provide an indication of the features and aspects of living in Extra Care or Retirement Housing that influence micro level satisfaction within different segments of the population of residents. The extent and basis for consensus or divergence of meso perspectives within and between sites and communities are revealed in order to give scope to speculate about how and why these differences occur. A second order analysis of factors also gives insight into tensions inherent in the macro intent and purpose of older people living in Extra Care or Retirement Housing. The results and conclusions provide the basis for proposing a theoretical model that recognises the interdependence of micro, meso and macro perspectives and provides a means to combine them in order to gain an integrated appreciation of the preferences, provision and purposes of Extra Care and Retirement Housing.