A study to determine what forms of housing, community facilities and support are suitable for the elderly to enable them to "age in place" : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Property Studies at Lincoln University

Abstract

Population projections by Statistics New Zealand indicate that the New Zealand resident population will increase to more than 4.5 million by 2036 and then drop slightly so that by 2051 it is expected to be 4.486 million. Within this population the number of elderly is expected to grow 150 percent, from 422,667 in 1996, to 1.145 million in 2051. Further projections indicate that by the year 2051 there will be 255,000 people aged 85 years and over and that they will account for 22.3 percent of the elderly population, and that the proportion of elderly in the 65-7 4 year age group will be 41.8 percent, down from 58.0 percent in 1996. Currently women make up a higher proportion of the total than men. However this gender imbalance peaked in 1996 when women accounted for 58.1 percent of the elderly population. The long-term rise in the proportion of the elderly is expected to put increased pressure on retirement income and health · systems. Governments are increasingly shifting the balance away from State provision of health care and housing to self care and help and user pay systems. Current social and health policy makers support the concept of 'ageing in place', that is, the maintaining of frail older people in their own homes. This concept is relatively untested in the New Zealand context and it is unclear if supported home care will be a cheaper option. Housing has a major bearing on the ability of older persons to deal with disability or handicap when it occurs. Other factors influencing people's ability to cope include: support from family, friends and community; availability of health services, shopping and amenities; transport; attitudes of the elderly themselves and attitudes of others toward them; and financial circumstances This study firstly examines the anticipated ageing demographic profile and looks at the concept of ageing in place. Ageing in place has been identified as being socially acceptable and is the mechanism the government sees as enabling them to reduce the health care bill for the elderly. The study looks at the factors which will enable the elderly to age in place, and the factors that impact on the elderly's ability to do this. This study looks to identify housing the types available in the international market that are suitable for housing the elderly and that will enable them to take care of many of their own social and health needs and while remaining largely independent of the health system. The prediction is that results will show that the majority of community infrastructures, are not well placed to cope with the increasing proportion of the elderly in the population; that the property market has an awareness of the pending demographic trend but has not taken seriously the imminent trend. The market providing housing to the elderly is young. It is yet to recognise that the elderly are not a homogenous group and that they do require an extensive range of housing types targeted at varying income levels, health needs, and that housing and health services need to be geographically dispersed to enable the elderly to 'age in place'. Currently, the sector of the property market providing housing for the elderly is focused on the elderly with incomes/assets in the upper echelons and with an urban focus. However, the greater majority of people approaching old age are not affluent and will have limit incomes on reaching retirement.