Residential mobility at older ages in Europe and the regional context. A brief commentary

Ageing and residential mobility beyond national boundaries are entangled processes shaping Mediterranean regions of Europe as an attractive retirement place. The present work focuses on the flows of retirees, which decide to settle from Northern/Western/Central Europe to Southern Europe, especially along the coastal areas or in rural countryside. Understanding spatial patterns of residential mobility at older ages allows to explore the medium-long impact on population dynamics in both growing and declining territories. The definition of such dynamics and its potential quantification considering the empirical evidence of earlier studies indicate a substantial shift over time of residential mobility flows from seaside locations to the rural countryside. Mobility choices among retirees also reflect the role of spatial planning, which is increasingly required to provide services for ageing population, trying to reconcile demographic flows, re-use of previously abandoned rural buildings and a convenient set of policies and taxation system.