Maintenance of function in relocation of community-dwelling older adults.

Relocation is often seen as a high-risk stress for the elderly. The present study compared relatively healthy older people moving voluntarily with nonmovers. An examination of behavioral test performance in a pre-post design revealed no decrement in function among those who changed residence. The proscription against relocation of older adults would appear to best be tempered with a careful examination of the conditions surrounding the move and the particular population involved. If there is indeed risk in the relocation of the institutionalized aged, there appears to be no necessary comparable risk among the noninstitutionalized old.