Older residents in small Danish towns struggle to find suitable housing. Many face difficult choices about leaving their lifelong communities.
Marlene Rishøj Cordes, a senior housing consultant at the Danish pensioners' organization Ældre Sagen, confirms the trend. She says members report this problem more frequently.
When suitable housing doesn't exist in their hometown, seniors may need to relocate. This causes significant emotional distress for many people.
She explains that older residents want public housing that's smaller and easier to maintain. They need homes they can afford on a state pension.
Elderly people calculate how much rent they can manage just like everyone else. A state pension provides limited income for housing costs.
Location matters as much as affordability for senior housing. Walking distances become more challenging with age.
Older adults depend on having shops and meeting places close to home. This creates pressure to move toward town centers in smaller communities.
Karsten, 75, and Jytta Eriksen, 78, from Vamdrup understand this problem well. They live in a large house on the town's outskirts.
Jytta Eriksen can no longer walk and they want to move downtown. They seek housing that's easier to manage but find no suitable options.
The situation particularly affects Jytta Eriksen. She depends completely on her husband for everything.
She says the worst part is making Karsten do everything. She cannot even go outside with her wheelchair.
More appropriate housing exists in nearby Kolding, but the couple refuses to move there. They don't know anyone in the larger city.
Forced relocation can have serious consequences even when people have no legal right to stay in their hometown.
The social network built over many years provides crucial support, especially if a partner dies.
Many elderly people experience loneliness after decades of living with a spouse. Good neighbors and local friends can help catch someone when they become alone.
These community connections actually help keep seniors healthy. Living where people want to go outside provides preventive health benefits.
The desire to go out comes from good networks with good neighbors. Knowing you'll chat with Kirsten at the local grocery store makes a difference.
This situation involves real people and affects community cohesion, safety, volunteerism, and prevention.
The housing shortage forces difficult choices between practical needs and emotional connections to community.