In today’s society the population is rapidly aging. The number of people over 80 is increasing. Many seniors want to stay at home for as long as it is possible. The elderly who are experiencing poor health and are unable to manage their daily needs, in most instances, must move into a nursing home to get the assistance they require. The aim of our study was to investigate the perceptions of elderly adults, especially their health and housing situation. We focused on the elderly, who are still living in their homes, and those who have moved into nursing homes. Our study was conducted using a qualitative approach, six interviews were conducted. The results that we obtained showed that the elderly felt that their health was their most crucial concern. As long as their health was good, they would try to remain in their homes for as long as possible. If they were in poor health, they would have to move into a nursing home. Our subjects, who still live in their homes, had no home - help service. They felt that they did not require it. If their health was poor, that they were unable to manage on their own, they made the decision to apply for a place in a nursing home. The elderly had both a positive and negative view of living at home and moving into a nursing home. Keywords: elderly / senior, health, stay at home, nursing home, safety