ABSTRACT

This study aims to examine the longitudinal impact of the housing environment on the trajectories of successful aging among older adults. Utilizing longitudinal data from the 15th (2020) to 19th (2024) waves of the Korea Welfare Panel Study (KoWePS), the analysis focused on 3,029 individuals aged 65 and older. Successful aging was measured multidimensionally, encompassing subjective health, depression, social relationship satisfaction, and overall life satisfaction. Multivariate Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA) and the R3STEP approach were employed to identify latent groups and their predictors. The findings revealed three distinct trajectories of successful aging: ‘High-level Stable,’ ‘Middle-level Maintaining,’ and ‘Low-level Vulnerable.’ Furthermore, the housing environment emerged as a significant predictor of group membership; higher quality of housing significantly increased the probability of belonging to a more positive aging trajectory, even after controlling for age, gender, and education. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating the longitudinal heterogeneity of successful aging and empirically validating the structural role of housing in shaping long-term aging paths through the lens of Aging in Place (AIP). The results suggest that supporting successful aging requires not only individual-level interventions but also tailored housing environment improvements that account for the diverse trajectories of the aging process.