The impact of age-friendly home modifications on the well-being of older adults: empirical evidence from China

With an ageing population, creating supportive environments for older adults is essential to sustaining their functionality and lifelong well-being. However, research on the impact of age-friendly home modifications on older adults’ well-being remains limited. To address this gap, this study examines the associations between age-friendly home modifications and well-being—conceptualised here as self-rated health and life satisfaction—within the framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). This analysis employs an ordered logistic regression model and uses data from 6427 individuals aged 60 and above, drawn from the 2020 Chinese Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey. The results indicate positive associations between age-friendly home modifications and both self-rated health (β = 0.571, p < 0.001) and life satisfaction (β = 0.461, p < 0.001). These associations remain robust across various propensity score matching methods, alternative regression models, and redefined independent and dependent variables. Additionally, attitudes towards ageing were observed to mediate the relationship between home modifications and well-being, with living alone and internet use acting as positive moderators, while age served as a negative moderator. Heterogeneity analyses further shows that the effects of age-friendly home modifications vary across age, gender, and urban-rural differences. Future policy recommendations should focus on designing age-friendly modification strategies that cater to the diverse needs of older adults.