Aging-in-Place and Home Modifications for Urban Regeneration

Aging-in-Place and Home Modifications for Urban Regeneration

Qian, QK (TU Delft Design & Construction Management)
Ho, Winky K.O. (University of Hong Kong)
Jayantha, Wadu Mesthrige (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University)
Chan, Edwin H.W. (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Hunan University)

2022

The rapidly growing aging population is a global phenomenon imposing societal challenges on many cities. ‘Aging-in-place’ as a popular concept accommodates both the elderly desire to age in a familiar environment and adaptive old home modifications for aging. However, this concept has not been explored in-depth systematically in the urban regeneration context. This article explores a form of aging-in-place that is suitable for large and dense residential urban areas using the case of Hong Kong as an example of a laisse-faire fast-growing dense city, with a focus on home modifications. As in many other Asian cities, with a low tax rate and without a pension scheme, the elderly in Hong Kong are concerned more with the basic needs of health care and rely on public housing. Housing affordability is the primary concern. The government is expected to take the lead in aging-in-place in urban regeneration, in particular, to provide necessary home modifications for the elderly who live in public housing with primary health care provisions. A survey of 294 respondents revealed that housing expenditures, housing size, income level, and residential location are indicators of whether home modifications or health care in cities such as Hong Kong can be afforded by the locals, under tight budget constraints

aging-in-place
home modification
health care
Hong Kong housing

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c299d413-4c45-44d5-a419-7ed20573612a

https://doi.org/10.3390/land11111956

2073-445X

Land, 11 (11)

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2022 QK Qian, Winky K.O. Ho, Wadu Mesthrige Jayantha, Edwin H.W. Chan