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 ... Read more

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. ... Read more