The Perimeter of the Home in Old Age: Reflecting on the Sense of Home in a Sheltered Housing Facility During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract This article focuses on the concept of home in old age in the context of a sheltered housing facility. Drawing on regulation theory, we examine how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic shapes the sense of home in this type of housing. The search for control over one’s daily routine during the lockdown serves as an indicator of the dynamics of expansion and contraction in the perimeter of the home. The way in which sheltered housing tenants comply with stay-at-home recommendations during the lockdown reveals certain aspects of their sense of home. The unusual character of the regulatory measures introduced during confinement increases the importance of perceptions of the meaning of the home among older adults with regard to their self-image and relationship to the surrounding environment.