Housing as a Social and Public Health Issue

This chapter focuses on housing by examining the relationship of space and the built physical environment and its effects on the occupant from a theoretical and practical perspective. What makes a house a home, the concept of personalization of space and its impacts are discussed. The characteristics of current housing inventory (quality and condition) are discussed. The concept of housing as a public health issue is introduced. Then the senior living options in the United States are reviewed and discussed because many countries look to the US for ideas and innovations in the industry, and because there are many Poles living in the US that are familiar with these housing choices and may be willing to return to Poland if Poland had similar housing choices available.