ANALYSIS OF THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF 4 GENERATIONS OF HDB NEW TOWNS IN RELATION TO ELDERLIES � ASPIRATIONS FOR AGING IN PLACE: QUEENSTOWN, ANG MO KIO, JURONG WEST AND PUNGGOL

Abstract

The growth of Singapore’s aging population is accelerating. The number of Singapore citizens above 65 years and above would balloon to 900,000 by 2030. However, government’s measure for aging were mostly inter-agency “software” approach of issuing of healthcare and financial policies such as Pioneer Generation package, investment in healthcare and nursing facilities and active aging programmes through Community Clubs and Residents Commitees. However, these measures are inadequate. In fact, with health care and its resultant longer life expectancy, more elderlies would be staying at home after retirement. Up to 80% of the population of 5.39 million Singaporeans lived in public housing provisioned by the Housing Development Board. Hence, more elderlies would be spending their golden years in HDB, which current measures focused on Barrier Free Access and increasing accessibility to lifts cannot assist them in achieving their aspirations. Aging in place is defined as "the ability to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level." Without the association with home, government’s software measures are inadequate to help elderlies age in place. HDB needs to be designed to fulfil elderlies’ aspirations for aging in place, with social support from the community to prevent elderlies from being isolated and segregated from the younger population. This paper intents to assess how the planning and design of 4 generations of HDB new towns, Queenstown(1960s), Ang Mo Kio (1970s), Jurong West (1990-2000s) and Punggol (2010s), respond to create an environment to fulfil aspirations of the elderlies’ for aging in place, in the aspects of Community Interactions, Life-long learning and development and Inter-generation Interaction. It postulates that older new town would meet the aspirations of elderlies better with more community amenities such as hawker centres and wet markets. Keywords: Aging in place, HDB, New Town Planning, Community Interaction, Life – long learning, Recreation and Leisure, Inter –generation Interaction