The Impact of Real Estate Maintenance Costs on the Potential Resettlement of Elderly People: The Case of Slovenia Cover Image

The Impact of Real Estate Maintenance Costs on the Potential Resettlement of Elderly People: The Case of Slovenia
The Impact of Real Estate Maintenance Costs on the Potential Resettlement of Elderly People: The Case of Slovenia

Author(s): Bojan Grum, Darja Kobal Grum
Subject(s): Family and social welfare, Demography and human biology, Gerontology, Welfare services
Published by: Institut društvenih znanosti Ivo Pilar
Keywords: elderly; maintenance costs; resettlement; real estate; demographic characteristics; Slovenia;

Summary/Abstract: The article focuses on the question how maintenance costs impact the potential resettlement of elderly people into suitable accommodation units. In Slovenia, more than 80 percent of households own their own homes, and among these more than 60 percent of owners are over 65 years of age. The main instrument used to measure their opinions was a questionnaire which 471 participants over 65 years of age were asked to complete. The main conclusion is that despite high maintenance costs, Slovenian participants would not sell their property under any circumstances, not even in return for a better-quality living environment. Their attachment to the environment in which they live is extremely high. They prefer to solve problems related to maintaining rather than moving to a more suitable home or environment. We explain this to be due to their strong social affiliation to the micro-environment, strong intergenerational attachment, and the reluctance of Slovenians to migrate.

  • Issue Year: 29/2020
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 373-393
  • Page Count: 21
  • Language: English