What determines the life satisfaction of middle class elderly? : a case study of the Tanner Hill senior housing project in Hong Kong

Abstract

Nowadays, ageing issues raised general concern all over the world. The number of the elderly around the world is increasing dramatically. The pace of population ageing is greater than the past. In western countries like Australia, USA and UK and some Asia countries like Japan, senior housing has been well developed with necessary services to cater the needs of the citizens. For Hong Kong, apart from the affordable senior housing development for low income elderly in rental basis decades before with new schemes launched in the past years, the development of senior housing has been turning into a new page by introducing a non-subsidized housing development with Residential Care Homes for the Elderly in last year to meet the needs of middle to high end elderly.

With a great difference on the cultural and traditional preference for Chinese to live with their children and save up for their children, it is actually a challenge for a Chinese city to apply a similar kind of requirement housing in Hong Kong. In an ever-changing living environment with needs in Hong Kong, the government has been advised on the formulation of policies in caring of the elderly with their needs identified. The study I am carrying out is to identify the needs of the middle to high class elderly in Hong Kong and to find out the elements to satisfy their needs in order to evaluate the housing provisions at The Tanner Hill, the latest and unique retirement housing development in Asia.

I would mainly conduct survey at The Tanner Hill for the tenants and non-tenants. Besides, to obtain more in-depth information especially the life at The Tanner Hill, interviews would also be conducted.

In the course of analyzing from the survey data collected from tenants of The Tanner Hill as well as non-tenants, the crucial factors leading to successful ageing would be grouped into physical, psychological and social aspects. After going through the research study, a conclusion regarding to a better suitable type of senior housing to fulfill the elements of successful ageing would be summarized on providing the elderly with quality of life at their late adulthood.

According to the findings, I can conclude that The Tanner Hill is the successful senior housing developed in Hong Kong. It can fulfil the needs of the middle class elderly who can obtain quality living and live independently, safely, with dignity, with satisfaction, as well as enhancing their societal value. The Tanner Hill can work out as a good model of successful ageing with criteria of high capacity on mental and physical function and active engagement with life can be assessed and fulfilled.