Applicability of ‘Aging in Place’ in redeveloped public rental housing estates in Hong Kong

Abstract

Rapidly aging society is a global phenomenon with serious societal impact. With the rapid growth in the aging population in Hong Kong, it is foreseeable that every flat unit will accommodate one senior citizen. To address this looming problem, the Hong Kong Government has introduced several aged friendly home design elements and care facilities to redeveloped public rental housing estates. This study aimed to investigate the implementation of the “aging in place” philosophy, through evaluating the applicability and effectiveness of those facilities. A redevelopment project, the Un Chau Estate in Hong Kong was selected as a case study. Ecological theory is applied to evaluate the case study at micro, meso and macro scales. The methodological approaches include (a) a questionnaire survey, (b) face-to-face group discussions and (c) in-depth interviews. Results reveal that senior satisfaction levels with the new elements investigated were below the levels of perceived importance. In particular, the seniors emphasized the lack of a sense of home and privacy in their residences. They were, however, moderately satisfied with the independence and dignity and comfort and health elements. The results also reveal that the provision of common facilities is not up to standard in meeting the needs of the elderly. The majority of the elderly consistently opined that aging in place is their priority. To some extent, the extreme case of Hong Kong as a showcase of a dense populated aged Asian city, sheds light on how public housing (re)development can be designed to facilitate aging in place. A more comprehensive and refined approach at micro, meso, and macro scales is necessary to guarantee the satisfactory implementation of aging in place.