Built Environment, Social Integration, and Well-Being Among Older Adults in NORCs: A Cross-Sectional Study in New York

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities Supportive Service Programs (NORC-SSPs) are one of the most popular models of aging in place. While the existing NORC literature focuses on the social and service environments of these programs, their built environments remain underexplored, particularly across housing tenures. This study is the first to explore the built environment, social integration, and socio-demographic factors among older people living in NORCs in New York, and their associations with health and well-being. The mixed-methods research included qualitative (interviews with NORC directors) and quantitative (151 resident surveys and an architectural assessment) data on 26 housing developments in New York, collected simultaneously using a convergent parallel design. The findings show that socialization and exercise improve the health and quality of life of NORC residents. The study also revealed that older people living in public housing have different needs than those in cooperative housing, namely a worse perception of their health and dwellings of a poorer physical condition. Therefore, the services offered by NORC programs should vary according to housing type, while management and NORC staff should improve coordination to address maintenance in public housing. Future research should examine interventions to improve the physical environments of NORC residents.