8 in 10 older adults in Singapore prefer to age in their current homes: SMU study
Published on
23 Oct 2024
Published by
The Straits Times
SINGAPORE – Eight in 10, or 82.8 per cent, of older adults in Singapore prefer to age in their current homes, a study has found.
This indicates a desire for continuity and stability, supported by accessible amenities and a strong sense of community, the researchers said.
The ongoing study by the Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (Rosa) at Singapore Management University (SMU) also found that higher levels of social isolation were associated with a lower sense of attachment to the respondents’ neighbourhoods.
However, living arrangements, such as whether they were living alone or with others, were unrelated to how attached they felt to their neighbourhoods.
The researchers polled 6,020 Singaporeans aged between 53 and 79 in September 2024. The early findings were discussed on Oct 22 at Rosa’s fourth annual symposium on successful ageing, held at SMU.
Professor Paulin Straughan, director of Rosa, said: “We have just expanded the boundaries of home to beyond our own flat – to our neighbourhood.”
The question is how to “level up” neighbourhoods – with the right amenities and by providing social interactions – so that they will have an impact on Singaporeans’ well-being, she added.
The study also found that 70.3 per cent of those polled said eldercare or active ageing centres were important or very important for ageing in place. However, only about 50 per cent of them live within a 10-minute walk of such amenities. This indicates that there is a discrepancy in needs, said the researchers.
Prof Straughan said this does not mean Singapore has to keep building more eldercare or active ageing centres, as senior-friendly activities can be held in malls, parks and community centres.
The participants also identified key amenities necessary for ageing in place.
More than 80 per cent of the respondents ranked transport services such as buses and the MRT, medical facilities, nearby shops and eateries as important or very important.
Some 56.4 per cent rated community centres as important or very important, and only about 37 per cent rated childcare facilities as important for ageing in place.
For respondents who preferred to move away from their current homes, a lack of attachment to their neighbourhoods and feelings of social isolation were significant factors.
These respondents reported that they had fewer nearby amenities that were within a 10-minute walk, smaller social networks within the neighbourhood, and less social support compared with those intending to age in place.
Among the 17.3 per cent who indicated plans to relocate, more than half of them, or 57.9 per cent, wished to downsize, while 11.7 per cent were interested in public assisted-living options such as community care apartments and studio apartments for seniors.
The symposium on Oct 22 was attended by more than 200 members from the Government, academia and industry.
The discussions were in line with the national Age Well SG programme to support seniors in ageing well in their homes and communities.
Prof Straughan showcased a prototype of a virtual city derived from Rosa’s data from the respondents. The prototype showed how different interventions, such as health-screening programmes or mahjong sessions, would improve seniors’ well-being.
She said: “This is just a prototype, but we will continue to build it, train it and, hopefully, the resource will be a better support for government and other planners in planning for a super-aged Singapore.”
By 2030, one in four citizens will be 65 and above. The number of older seniors aged 85 and above is also rising fast. Singapore has 64,000 older seniors now, of whom 60 per cent are frail to severely frail, and 4 per cent are at high risk of social isolation.
Speaking at the event, Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information, and for National Development, said various factors help seniors age well.
“Many believe that healthcare is the most important factor,” he said. “However, studies have shown that environmental, behavioural, social and economic factors can account for more than half of the variation in population health outcomes.”
Both “hardware” and “heartware” are important for addressing seniors’ needs, Mr Tan said, referring to the physical living environment and how seniors are engaged in the community.
The Government has rejuvenated towns to create mixed-use developments such as Kampung Admiralty and Heartbeat@Bedok, so that seniors can access these amenities more easily, he said.
The Silver Upgrading Programme and Estate Upgrading Programme introduce senior-friendly features such as barrier-free ramps and dementia-friendly wayfinding features in Housing Board and private residential estates.
Within HDB homes, there are also senior-friendly features such as wall-mounted foldable shower seats and widened bathroom entrances under the Enhancement for Active Seniors programme to help seniors go about their daily activities.
The Health District @ Queenstown piloted in Queenstown, where more than 20 per cent of residents are 65 and older, makes use of the built environment together with care programmes to promote healthy and purposeful living.
Singapore’s first project by global non-profit Ibasho in Queenstown offers opportunities for seniors to contribute to their community, such as by organising activities, including the setting up of a community cafe.
There are also initiatives like IDeAL@115 at a rental block in Ang Mo Kio, where volunteers and various foundations offer health monitoring, meals and companionship to the elderly.
Mr Tan added that there are ongoing discussions between Rosa and government agencies on how the centre’s research can inform government planning and policy work.
Prof Straughan said the new generation of older Singaporeans aged 65 and above are more well educated and experienced than their predecessors.
“We should leverage them and look at them as our potential capital,” she said. “We need to bring them into the fold of decision-making... They are a valuable asset that has not been unlocked yet.”
Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Reproduced with permission.
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