Investigating the links between environment and older people’s place attachment in densely populated urban areas

Abstract

The environment can be an attitudinal and emotional context for older people to develop place attachment, consisting of place identity and place dependence. Articulating place attachment is essential to enhancing the lived experience of older people and strengthening their capacity to be autonomous and independent. This study extends place attachment research to a densely populated urban area in Asia through a case study of older people’s perceptions on environmental factors and place attachment. Face-to-face questionnaire surveys involving 273 community dwellers aged 65 years or above were administered to understand how different environmental dimensions relate to each other and place attachment, as well as the mechanisms underlying the associations between environmental perceptions and place attachment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand the meanings of place attachment and its implications for daily life. The research found that “buildings and surroundings,” “community facilities and amenities,” and “social attributes of a place” predicted place attachment. Residential satisfaction partially mediated the path from environmental perceptions to place attachment. Given that urban renewal and population aging are important considerations for future urbanization, these findings are relevant to guidelines on designing community landscapes and facilities, contributing to aging in place policies worldwide.