| Title |
An Analysis of the Housing Policy for Senior Citizens and Characteristics of Senior Housing in Japan |
| Keywords |
Senior Citizens ; Housing Policy ; Senior Housing ; Housing Welfare ; Japan |
| Abstract |
The socio-demographic change in societies experiencing industrialization and urbanization is the growing number of aging population, and the phenomenon is prevalent. Coupled with both low birth rate resulting from the participation of women in labor market and mobility of labor and capital arising from globalization, the aging society enters into the aged society and then super-aged society at a unprecedentedly fast pace. As a super-aged society, Japan has developed a wide range of housing and its supportive services for senior citizens. The purposes of this study are to delineate the housing policy for senior citizens and to analyze the characteristics of senior housing in Japan. To meet the research goals, in-depth interviews with professionals in the public sector and site visits in senior housing are conducted. The result indicates that the housing policy for senior citizens focuses on the integration of welfare services into housing in the midst of aging-in-place, so that the three key components consisting of barrier-free design, life support services and assistive technology including emergency system are importantly included in senior housing. It is noticed that design features that are friendly to senior citizens are greatly applied regardless of housing tenure, and the Law Concerning Stable and Secure Housing for the Elderly that was enacted in 2001 produces more various options of rental housing for senior citizens and also improves their accessibility to the rental housing market. |