Validating the full and short versions of the aging-in-place instrument for native and migrant older adults in the Netherlands

The main premise of age-friendly environment development is to accommodate for the needs of diverse older-adult populations, which necessitates the availability of valid instruments that capture older adults' perceptions of their environments and reflect their aging-in-place needs. Most available instruments for age-friendliness measurement are homogeneous and not culturally adapted for use with diverse older-adult groups. This study was performed to validate an instrument measuring neighborhood age-friendliness and identifying aging-in-place needs for diverse older-adult populations. The target populations were older (aged ≥65 years) native-Dutch and first-generation migrant adults with Turkish, Surinamese, and Moroccan backgrounds residing in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Data were collected from 862 respondents (49 % response rate). The factor structure of the 37-item aging-in-place instrument was evaluated with the total sample. To reduce respondent burden, a shortened 24-item version was developed, and its model fit was tested with the four subgroups. The validity and reliability of the instrument were further examined. The 37-item aging-in-place instrument showed satisfactory to good model fit for the total sample. The shortened version also showed satisfactory to good fit for the four subgroups, and both versions had good internal consistency. For both versions, scores correlated negatively with the Brief Sense of Community Scale score, supporting their validity. With this study, we provide a valid, reliable, and culturally sensitive instrument that captures the perceptions of diverse older-adult populations regarding the age-friendliness of their environments and reflects their needs for aging in place. • Validates the Aging-in-Place Instrument for diverse older populations • Reflects needs of older adults to age in place across cultural backgrounds • Confirms reliability across four older adult subgroups in the Netherlands • Offers both full and short versions for flexible, context-sensitive use • Supports inclusive assessment of neighborhood age-friendliness