Age Specific Housing: Are we Meeting the Aspirations and Needs of the Older Population?

1. 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 Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

2. Contents • Factors that mould older Australian’s views and desires • Changing housing careers • Role of housing sector • Research design • Research findings: • Significance of Housing Features • Importance of Services and Facilities • Location Preferences • Complex Sizes • Concluding thoughts Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

3. 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 Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

4. 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) Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

5. 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 Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

6. 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 Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

7. Needs and preferences of older people in the 21st century Ageing 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 Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

8. 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) Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

9. 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 Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

10. The Research • 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 Three Stages of Research Stage 1: 7 focus groups Stage 2: survey 1200 households Stage 3: 8 focus groups; 20 in-depth interviews Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

11. 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

12. Movement into Retirement Village Accommodation

13. Features Taken Into Account When Choosing a Home Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

14. Use of and Importance of Services and Facilities at Retirement Villages Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

15. Location Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

16. Community Based ResidentsMovement into Retirement Village Accommodation Preferred Retirement Complex Sizes Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

17. 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 Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

18. 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 Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

19. 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. Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments

20. Summary Report available from ECH Inc www.ech.asn.au FIHURE www.flinders.edu.au/fihure Flinders Institute for Housing, Urban & Regional Environments