Older social housing tenants’ experiences of rehousing programs: a systematic scoping review

This review examines the experiences of older social housing tenants who move home through rehousing schemes. These can be either elective, in the case of downsizing or rightsizing, or nonelective in the case of urban regeneration where, typically, houses are demolished and new ones built. Searches of both peer-reviewed and gray literature were carried out using appropriate databases. After screening, two peer-reviewed papers and eight gray literature reports were included in the review. Although limited, the evidence presented here provides some important guidance for providers of social housing. Organizations that provide social housing for older adults should involve older people in decision making in the conception, planning, and delivery of rehousing programs. Particular attention should be given to maintaining social connections in new homes and communities to avoid a serious loss of community involvement and the resulting increased levels of loneliness. The lack of published evidence highlighted by this review, particularly from academia, indicates that greater efforts from researchers and funders should be made to conduct studies that will give social housing providers the evidence they need to improve rehousing programs for older tenants.