Foreclosure, memory decline, and dementia probability: A longitudinal cohort study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Housing insecurity is rising among older adults; health researchers know little about how this may impact their cognitive health. We investigated links between foreclosure and older adults’ memory and probability of dementia. METHODS: Using the Health and Retirement Study (2008 to 2018), we fit mixed models comparing the memory and dementia probability scores of 249 older adults who experienced foreclosure (treated) with 15,645 who did not. Baseline covariates included sociodemographics and health. Models were stratified by age group. RESULTS: Foreclosure was associated with faster memory decline among middle-aged (50 to 64) older adults (−0.007 standard deviations/year, 95% confidence interval: −0.13, −0.001). Compared to average memory decline among middle-aged older adults who were stably housed, foreclosure equated to 3.7 additional years of aging over 10 years. Among those 65+, differences between those who were and were not foreclosed upon were short-lived and less clear, potentially driven by depletion-of-susceptibles bias. DISCUSSION: Foreclosure may endanger older adults’ memory. Highlights: Housing instability is a key determinant of cognitive aging. We examined foreclosure and levels and changes in memory and dementia probability scores in the US older adult population. Foreclosure was associated with faster memory decline among middle-aged (50 to 64) older adults, equivalent to 3.7 additional years of cognitive aging over 10 years. Foreclosure yielded sharp memory declines and increases in dementia probability among older adults 65 and above. Foreclosure imposes a greater risk for older adults’ cognitive decline.