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nders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Research nders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting the Aspirations and Needs of the Older Population? Presenter: Dr Debbie Faulkner Australian Institute of Urban Studies WA 7 th October 2009

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

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Page 1: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting the Aspirations and Needs

of the Older Population?

Presenter: Dr Debbie Faulkner

Australian Institute of Urban Studies WA

7th October 2009

Page 2: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Contents

•Factors that mould older Australian’s views and desires•Changing housing careers•Role of housing sector•Research design•Research findings:

Significance of Housing FeaturesImportance of Services and FacilitiesLocation PreferencesComplex Sizes

Concluding thoughts

Page 3: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

•Cumulative lifetime opportunities and experiences

•Present economic, social and personal characteristics

•Ability of current policy settings and market forces to address increasingly diverse needs of older population

•Way older people and society view old age

Factors that mould society’s and older people’s views of their future

Page 4: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Factors that mould society’s and older people’s views of their future

In the 1970s we had a view of older people as:

“mainly poor, probably with similar outlooks (and indeed appearance) and with limited aspirations for future lifestyles”

(Phillipson 1998, 10)

Page 5: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

History: The Role of the Housing Sector

•Affordable and ‘appropriate’ housing for those with few assets and low income

•Provided by public and community housing and not for profit sector

•Housing very basic – a bedsit or one bedroom accommodation

Page 6: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Housing Careers in the 21st Century

• A revolution?• Older• Living longer• Working longer?• More wealth/greater

disparity• Greater number of

single person households

• Greater experience of mobility and varied housing experiences

Page 7: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Needs and preferences of older people in the 21st centuryAgeing viewed very differently from previous generations - influences the way older people view housing and the places they want to live.

Making conscious choices about where to live is not new but as Phillipson (2007, 330) states

‘the idea that substantial groups of older people are able to control and shape their environment is relatively new”.

Reorientates ageing in place policies away from a focus on the individual to the communities in which we all live

Page 8: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Needs and preferences of older people in the 21st century

The attitudes, values and living strategies of older South Australians are changing:

…we are a different demographic – my peers are approaching retirement with different attitudes and health. We are the first generation willing to look and make plans for the lifestyle we want…we are approaching this in a positive way – this is a chance to approach change in a good way. Housing is just ‘bricks and mortar’ now, it was not in the past.

Participant in focus groups(Beer, Faulkner & Baker 2006)

Page 9: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Role of Retirement Villages• Boom time for retirement villages• Rapid increase in private and public

for profit corporations. • Focus on the wealthy and less on

those who actually need assistance – • Marketing themselves as over 55

lifestyle resorts.• Location not always appropriate• RV established to cater for those with

few assets/ low income not faired well in the market place

• Account for only 5 per cent of the older population

Page 10: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

The Research

Three Stages of Research

Stage 1: 7 focus groups

Stage 2: survey 1200 households

Stage 3: 8 focus groups; 20 in-depth interviews

•Conducted comprehensive program of research into the housing needs and aspirations of older South Australians aged 55 years and over

•The work extended over the period 2006-2008

Page 11: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Research

Characteristics of Older South Australians

Surveyed in Stage 2

• Of those retired 75% govt benefits – 31% believed not prepared adequately for retirement

• Of those not retired likely basis of income in retirement be govt pension, super, govt pension+super; few other income/assets

• Value of Assets (other than home) – 41% assets < $50k (55-64 -23.3%); + 15%< $100k (55-64 – 10%)

• 60% considered value of home to be < $400k

Page 12: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Research

Movement into Retirement Village Accommodation

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

lessthan 55

55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84 85 yearsandover

Age

Pe

r C

en

t

Retirement VillageResidents

Non Retirement VillageResidents

Page 13: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Features Taken Into Account When Choosing a Home

Feature of Housing

RV residents

Non RV residents

Feature of Housing

RV residents

Non RV residents

Low Maintenance

87.4 93.1 Energy Efficiency

66.3 94.6

Personal Security

85.3 90.5 Private Garden 62.1 67.4

Privacy 85.3 89.5 Accessibility 60.0 93.2

Internal Layout

82.1 84.5 Environmentally Friendly Features

51.6 90.5

Garage 73.7 67.4 Access to Technology

48.4 59.7

No of Bedrooms

72.6 71.5 Pets Allowed 31.6 51.4

Storage Space

70.5 81.2 Space for Caravan

9.5 10.2

Page 14: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Use of and Importance of Services and Facilities at Retirement Villages

Facilities and Services RV Residents Non RV Residents

Maintenance Services 93 95

Health Care Services 73 89

Accessing Ancillary Health Services 19 85

Community Hall 77 84

Library 62 82

Dining Room / Restaurant 83 78

Organised Community Activities 76 76

Swimming Pool 46 56

Sporting Facilities 44 45

Page 15: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Location

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

To

Liv

e C

lose t

o

Fam

ily

To

Liv

e C

lose t

o

Fri

en

ds

To

Liv

e C

lose t

o

a R

esid

en

tial

Facilit

y

Seasid

e L

ocati

on

Co

un

try L

ocati

on

To

be C

loser

to

the C

ity

To

Rem

ain

in

Fam

ilia

r

Neig

hb

ou

rho

od

s

To

Liv

e C

lose t

o

Pu

blic T

ran

sp

ort

To

Liv

e C

lose t

o

Sh

op

s a

nd

Serv

ices

Factor

Ag

e

Retirement Village Residents

Non Retirement Village Residents

Page 16: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Community Based ResidentsMovement into Retirement Village

AccommodationPreferred Retirement Complex Sizes

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

greater than 100 units

50-99 units

20-49 units

10-19 units

less than 10 units

Don't know

Siz

e of

Com

plex

Per Cent

Page 17: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Older People’s Housing Aspirations and Expectations

The Dwelling•Smaller but spacious

•Minimum 2 bedrooms

•Single storey, detached

•Secure

•Located in small cluster

The Location•Close to shops

•Close to public transport

•Remain in familiar neighbourhood

•Close to family/friends

Services and facilities

Maintenance services health care services dining room

Community hall/centre Library org community activities

Page 18: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Concluding Comments

•At present Australia has few housing options for older population

•Expectations and aspirations of older people are changing: evolve with society’s changing aspirations, needs and expectations\

•Current provision of housing often is a poor fit with needs and aspirations voiced by older Australians

•Housing needs to be located throughout metropolitan and regional areas so that people have the opportunity to move to purpose built aged housing that is part of their neighbourhood

•Many older South Australians are willing to sell their home in order to secure purpose built aged housing.

•Those aged 55-64 have greater assets than earlier generations had at the same stage in their life cycle. This is likely to translate into greater purchasing power in the housing market

Page 19: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Concluding Comments

•Offer a tenure arrangement that is close to Torrens title - existing tenure arrangements are often a deterrent as they are difficult to comprehend and are seen to have unknowable costs.

•Older people want the opportunity to live well and independently even if they have modest assets

•Is a high level of risk confronting many older Australians as hold very modest assets and this will be the case for many of the baby boomers

•Need more affordable housing options – increasing pressure to be placed on private rental market and not for profit sector as public housing declines

•Providing appropriate and affordable housing is one way we can deliver a better quality of life and social inclusion to all older people.

Page 20: Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting

Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional ResearchFlinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

Summary Report available from ECH Inc

www.ech.asn.au

FIHURE www.flinders.edu.au/fihure