KIEAE Journal

Today, Korea, among OECD member countries, abnormally and quickly enters its population aging society. Population aging has already become a big social issue in the UK, Japan, and other countries, and various solutions have been suggested.

In Korea, as a solution to populating aging in society, elderly housing has intensively and deeply been researched. In particular, the concept 'aging in place' has been suggested as a methodology of the policy on elderly housing. Aging in place is referred to as a type of housing in which a person wants to live in the residence of their choice, for as long as they are able. However, given its theoretical interest, the concept 'aging in place' in the elderly housing policy has yet to be researched much systematically, for some problems of elderly persons, like their economic problem, should be solved in advance¹⁾. Previous and relevant studies mainly focused on the housing and aging in place of baby boomer generation and the elderly generation. For this reason, there is no active research on housing of various classes in application of the concept 'aging in place'. Therefore, based on the concept 'aging in place', this study tries to use the statistical data about the surveys on the urban preference of all age groups and on their perception in order to suggest the necessity of aging in place for urban elderly housing and the direction of elderly housing.

This is the fundamental research on aging-in-place for urban elderly housing with all age groups as study subjects. These researchers conducted previous studies on elderly housing, surveyed the terms used legally, analyzed types of elderly housing depending on location conditions, and investigated the analysis on aging-in-place in each field and previous literature.

In Korea Housing Survey, the number of households and a rate of households were analyzed. In a questionnaire survey on households, the desirable region to live, residence preference regions in large cities, small & medium cities, and farming & fishing & mountain villages depending on local areas and income bracket types on the basis of main lifestyles, and desirable lifestyles in urban life and country life were analyzed. Also, the necessity of aging-in-place for urban elderly housing was analyzed depending on differences in the future regional population information in each city and province, population density in the cadastral statistic graphs of Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, the youth population, median-age population, and aged population, and their population ratio in each city and province, the population of all age groups in each city and province through population increase and decrease, and population density. Through the survey of elderly persons conditions and their perception, such as their employment in each city and province, the restriction of their functions, their desire to join an elderly employment program, their suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt rate, count of their children's visits, their satisfaction with relationship with friends and local communities, a rate of their participation in continuing program, and a level of their desire to have a hobby and a leisure activity, the applicability of aging-in-place for elderly housing in each city and province was analyzed.

The concept of aging-in-place was used by the American Institute of Architects as the comprehensive term ²⁾ of various and all types of buildings which provide a variety of protection and support for elderly persons, ensures them to have their independence and privacy as most as possible, and are equipped with the functions for smooth cooperation and offering. In Korea, research on elderly housing has been conducted in earnest since 1994.

Park Tae-hwan(1994) investigated the elderly age group's overall degeneration of the body and mental in order to classify planned elderly housing and then classified the reshaped and designed housing with the addition of convenience to the functions of the elderly into the possibility of independent living and into dependent life depending on degenerative stages. Kwon Yong-dae and Yoon Hong-taek (1995) defined the housing facility designed for the elderly as the housing facility designed to satisfy elderly persons' psychological and physical characteristics. Lee Yeon-sook (1995) defined the special housing, excluding elderly housing facility and elderly use facility, as the one that not only has the functions of conventional general housing, but provides the social assistance service, household assistance service, personal life support service, and nursing care service specialized for the elderly. Since then, specification and legally designated terms of elderly collective housing, elderly housing welfare facilities have been researched. Cho A-ra (2013) reviewed Japanese policy on elderly housing as the representative case of country and criticized Japanese housing policy changes made by elderly housing issue and the problems of aging-in-place applied to Japanese housing policy. The researcher pointed out that although the concept of aging-in-place for elderly housing has been applied since 1980s, the range of a place for aging-in-place in Japan was very wide and thereby there were some problems with the location of elderly housing, national policy support, functionality, and communication with communities.

Globally, as a solution to ageing population, aging-in-place is still researched. Aging-in-place is analyzed intensively with such study subjects as baby boomers, the retired, and the elderly who prepare for the society of aging population. Nevertheless, there is not much research on the expansion and application of the concept ‘aging-in-place' to the median-age population who are about to enter the society of aging population.

Therefore, this study tries to integrate statistical data of all age groups beyond elderly persons and baby boomers who were the study subjects in previous studies, to analyze urban preference of all age groups in each city and province, to look into the housing conditions of elderly population in each city and province through elderly survey, and to focus on analyzing the efficiency of aging-in-place for urban elderly housing of elderly population and their future generations.

Elderly housing is involved in facilities for the elderly and children in accordance with Architects Act, and is classified in elderly housing welfare facility, a type of elderly welfare facilities in accordance with Welfare of the Aged Act. Elderly housing is divided into nursing house, senior congregate housing, and elderly welfare housing.

As shown in the table 1, according to previous studies, elderly housing is defined as a type of housing for the elderly. For elderly housing, living support and the living characteristics of the elderly are applied in consideration of their reducing living ability and their degenerative physical and mental functions, and housing system function for their independent living support and additional human resource function are added. In addition, their move of housing space should be easy through the establishment of continuous protection system to prepare for sudden accidents.

Urban elderly housing is not a legal term mentioned earlier, but a new term coined in combination of urban type, one of types classified according to locational characteristics of elderly welfare facility, the elderly, and housing. It is used to prepare for the society of aging population.⁴⁾

A shown in the table 2, urban type is one of the types classified according to locational characteristics. It is based on entrance in a large city, and its advantage is to extend the existing life zone of the generation of urbanization. Compared to suburb type and country & recreational facility type, the urban type has very convenient access to public transportations such as bus, subway and good transportation connection, easy access to various facilities including public, commercial, and medical service facilities, and convenience in family exchange. In addition, the urban type can become a plan for keeping such quality of life as aging-in-place of the generations of persons continuing to live in urban life and can increase the expansion and stability of activity areas through the friendly residential environment of residents. However, as disadvantages of this type, there are the high ground of city, traffic congestion, safety issue of high-rise buildings, and emotional issue caused by the poor natural environment in city.

Aging-in-place was emerged in the background of solving the problem of nursing facility residence and economic problem. The concept of aging-in-place suggested as the solution to the typical two problems is applied to various areas, including housing, interior design, and urban plan.

As shown in the table 3, although there are various definitions of aging-in-place in multiple areas, they are very similar. The concept of aging-in-place can be summarized to help the elderly live the rest of their life in physical, mental, and psychological stability while maintaining their community, independence, and sociality in a familiar place without any move to a new facility, building or place. In other words, the most significant meaning of aging-in-place is to ensure the elderly maintaining their community, independence, and sociality in a familiar place and keeping their mental, physical, and psychological stability.

In this aspect, the concept of aging-in-place can be analyzed as a large tool to continue to increase the quality of life of all age groups including the old age group. Accordingly, aging-in-place for urban elderly housing should additionally be researched in order for urban generations as well as the elderly to continue to live in urban housing.

2016 Korea Housing Survey conducted by Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport was aimed at finding overall matters of the housing life of the public, and accumulating and applying the data for research and policy. The survey data were selected as the proper data for preference analysis on urban elderly housing aging-in-place. The analysis focused on the lifestyles and housing types to live, and classified them by region and income bracket.⁶⁾

Regarding the number of households in each region, there were 19,111,030 households in the nation; 9,214,553 in the capital area; 3,837,530 in metropolitan cities; 6,058,947 in provincial regions (Do). Regarding households in each income bracket, there were a total of 19,066,954 households; 7,909,421 in low income bracket; 7,381,605 in middle-income bracket; 3,775,928 in high-income bracket. The reason why there was a difference in the numbers of households between region and income bracket was that 44,076 households with no answer of incomes were excluded. The highest ratio by region was found in the capital area, followed by provincial regions (Do) and metropolitan cities in order; The highest ration by income bracket was found in middle-income bracket, followed by low-income bracket and high-income bracket in order.

The areas that they want to live in are classified in big city, small and medium-sized city, and farming, fishing & mountain village. The questionnaire also included the answer 'I have no idea' to take into account respondents' undetermined intention. Regarding the total ratio, large city accounted for 42.6%; small and medium-sized city 38.5%; and farming, fishing & mountain village 15.8%. As such, respondents preferred large city or small and medium-sized city, and there was no large difference in preference between large city and small and medium-sized city.

According to the analysis by region, in the capital area, large city accounted for 47.1%; small and medium-sized city 38.2%; and farming, fishing & mountain village 10.3%. As such, large city and small and medium-sized city were highly preferred, and there was no large difference in preference between them. In metropolitan cities, large city accounted for 78.8%; small and medium-sized city 12.9%; and farming, fishing & mountain village 6.3%. As such, large city was very highly preferred. In provincial regions (Do), large city accounted for 12.9%; small and medium-sized city 55.1%; and farming, fishing & mountain village 30.2%. As such, small and medium-sized city was very highly preferred, and the ratio of farming, fishing & mountain village was higher than that of large city.

According to the analysis by income bracket, in low-income bracket, large city accounted for 35.4%; small and medium-sized city 38.1%; and farming, fishing & mountain village 28.9%. As such, the ratio of small and medium-sized city was high, and there was no large difference in preference between the ratio of large city and the ratio of farming, fishing & mountain village. In middle-income bracket, large city accounted for 46.6%; small and medium-sized city 39.8%; and farming, fishing & mountain village 11.3%. As such, large city and small and medium-sized city were highly preferred, and especially small and medium-sized city were found to be preferred. In high-income bracket, large city accounted for 50.1%; small and medium-sized city 36.6%; and farming, fishing & mountain village 10.6%. As such large city and small and medium-sized city were highly preferred, and large city was most preferred.

According to the general analysis on the regions that people want to live in, the most preferred region was small and medium-sized city, followed by large city and farming, fishing & mountain village in order. In the capital area, small and medium-sized city was most preferred; in metropolitan cities, large city was most preferred; and in provincial regions (Do), small and medium-sized city was most preferred. In each region, large city and small and medium-sized city were preferred, and the sum of the preference ratios of large city and small and medium-sized city was near or exceeded 70%. It indicates that people have high intention of living in urban regions.

The lifestyles that people want to have are classified into urban life and country life. The questionnaire also included the answer 'I have no idea' to take into account respondents' undetermined intention. Regarding the total ratio, urban life accounted for 71.5% and country life 25.3%. As such, people preferred urban life as their lifestyle.

According to the analysis on preference of lifestyles by region, in the capital area, urban life accounted for 76.5% and country life 18.8%. As such, urban life was preferred. In metropolitan regions, urban life accounted for 84.4% and country life 13.9%. As such, urban life was preferred. In provincial regions (Do), urban life accounted for 55.8% and country life 42.3%, but the preference ratio of urban life was relatively lower than that in the capital area and in metropolitan regions.

According to the analysis on preference of lifestyles by income bracket, in low-income bracket, urban life accounted for 63.1% and country life 32.5%. As such, people in low-income bracket preferred urban life, but relatively less preferred urban life than those in middle-income bracket and high-income bracket. In middle-income bracket, urban life accounted for 77.8% and country life 19.9%. As such urban life was preferred. In high-income bracket, urban life accounted for 76.8% and country life 20.6%, and therefore urban life was preferred.

Given the general analysis on desirable lifestyles, people preferred urban life regardless of region and income bracket. With regard to the regions and lifestyles that people want to live in and have, the more incomes people ha and the more they live in the capital area and metropolitan regions, the more they prefer urban life and urban housing. It is inferred that the regions and income groups which have a higher possibility of urban life and benefits pursue continuous benefits and move to urban housing. Although those in lower income bracket and in provincial regions (Do) preferred urban life and urban housing, their housing preference to farming, fishing & mountain village was higher than that of those in high-income bracket and in the capital area and metropolitan regions. It shows the fact that they like and want to continue to live in their current housing region.

Future Population Projection distributed in 2017 shows 2015 population status and population density from 2001 to 2015 by region. This estimation forecast the future population of each city and province (Do) by 2015 in the way of taking into account uncertainty of future population growth and describing four population growth scenarios: medium estimation ( fertility, mortality, and migration), high estimation, low estimation, and no-migration estimation. As a press release of Statistics Korea, it was selected as data for population distribution and classification.

(1) Population status and population density by region

With regard to population status by city and Do, Seoul (city) and Gyeonggi (Do) had the highest number, and there was the difference of around 2.5 million persons. By city, the highest number of population was found to be in Seoul, followed by Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju, Ulsan, and Sejong in order. By Do, the highest number of population was found to be Gyeonggi, followed by Gyeongnam, Gyeongbuk, Chungnam, Jeongbuk, Jeonnam, Chungbuk, Gangwon, and Jeju, in order. The total population of cities numbered 23.14 million, and there was about 2.89 million on average. The total population of Dos numbered 27.88 million, and there was about 3.1 million on average. Therefore, cities and Dos had similar average population, or around 200,000 persons.

With regard to population density by city and Do, Seoul (city) and Gyeonggi (Do) had the highest density, and there was the difference of 15,138 persons per km². By city, the highest population density was found to be in Seoul, followed by Busan, Gwangju, Daejeon, Daegu, Incheon, Ulsan, and Sejong in order. By Do, the highest population density was found to be in Gyeonggi, followed by Jeju, Gyeongnam, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Chungbuk, Jeonnam, Gyeongbuk, and Gangwon in order. The total population density of cities was 33,781 persons per km², and the average was about 4,223 persons per km². The total population density of Gos was 2,946 persons per km², and the average was about 327 persons per km^2.. Therefore, there was the noticeable difference of about 3,896 persons per km² between the population density of cities and that of Dos.

(2) Youth, median-age, and elderly populations by city and Do, and population ratio

City · Do
Youth population (Less than 0~14 age )
Population ratio	Population component ratio
Median-age population (More than 15 age-Less than64 age)
Population ratio	Population component ratio
Elderly population (More than 65 age)
Population ratio	Population component ratio

　　　　

Statistics Korea, Future Population Projection 2017 and Ministry of Land, Intellectual statistics graph restructure 　　　　

In 2017 Future Population Projection, the population of each age group was surveyed. The population ratio and population component ratio of the youth (0-14 years), the median-age (15-64 years), and the elderly (more than 65 years) were analyzed.

The population ratio and population component ratio of the youth had a similar pattern, and tended to decrease slowly. The reductions in the population and ratio of the youth showed a fall in population increase or decrease. The population ratio and population component ratio of the median age had also a similar pattern, and its population ratio in 2025 reduced for a while and rapidly decreased from year 2035. The graphs shown above show a particular pattern of the median-age migration of baby boomers. Unlike the median-age population and the youth population, the elderly population had its increased population ratio and population component ratio. After 2025, the population ratio and population component ratio of the elderly are estimated to increase more. This particular pattern is caused by the elderly migration of baby boomers. With the reductions in the population ratio and population component ratio of the elderly, the population increase or decrease also increased.

As shown in Future Population Projection, although the population in Dos outnumbers the population of cities currently, there is no big difference in an average value; there is a remarkable difference in population density between cities and Dos. The youth population and the median-age population had very similar reduced population ratio and population component ratios. It was found that the rapid rise rate of the elderly population would be larger with the generation migration of baby boomers.

The Survey of the Elderly conducted in 2014 ⁸⁾ is the data used to predict the change in elderly characteristics and to provide a fundamental material for developing the policy on the society of aging population to come. With the survey data, it is possible to find the living conditions, characteristics, and changes of the elderly. The data were selected to find social and economic changes and value changes.

The employment of the elderly by city and Do was reviewed in order to analyze the social activity intention of the elderly, their activity troubles, and their economy. By city, Ulsan had the highest rate, or 31.5%; by Do, Chungbuk had the highest rate, or 40.8%. In terms of the total rate, Do had a higher rate than city. In case of city, all cities but Gwangju and Ulsan showed relatively even distribution; in case of Co, all Dos but Chungbuk and Gyeonggi showed relatively even distribution. With regard to their functional limitation on the basis of their employment, by city, Ulsan had the highest rate, or 97.0%; by Do, Jeonnam had the highest rate, or 91.1%. In case of city, all cities but Daegu and Ulsan had even distribution; in case of Do, other Dos than Chungbuk, Chungnam, and Jeonnam had mostly even distribution.

The elderly's desire to participate in employment programs was reviewed in order to analyze the elderly's social participation intention, the confirmation of their independence, and whether to acquire their economic ability. By city, Busan had the highest rate or 26.3%; by Do, Jeju had the highest rate, or 21.6%. City had a higher total rate than Do. All cities but Gwangju showed relatively even distribution, and other Dos than Chungbuk, Chungnam, and Jeju showed relatively even distribution.

Suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt rate were reviewed in order to analyze the current sociality of the elderly and their mental health. Regarding suicidal ideation, by city, Busan had the highest rate, or 15.5%; by Do, Gyeonggi had the highest rate, or 15.9%. City had a higher total rate than Do. In case of city, most cities other than Gwangju and Daejeon showed even distribution; in case of Do, other Dos than Gangwon, Chungnam, and Jeonnam showed even distribution. With regard to suicidal attempt rate, by city, Seoul had the highest rate, or 13.8%; by Do, Chungbuk had the highest rate, or 18.1%. In terms of a total rate, all cities showed relatively even distribution, and all Dos but Chungnam showed even distribution.

The count of visits of children who do not live together was reviewed in order to analyze the elderly's relationship with family members and their access convenience. By city, Ulsan had the highest rate, or 50.5%; by Do, Jeju had the highest rate, or 57.3%. City and Do had a similar total rate. All cities but Incheon and Gwangju, and all Dos but Gangwon, Jeonbuk, and Jeonnam showed relatively even distribution.

The satisfaction with relationship with friends and local communities was reviewed in order to analyze the elderly's quality of life in their current residence, whether to increase their quality of life, and their communication and relationship with the society. By city, Gwangju had the highest rate, or 93.1%; by Do, Chungnam had the highest rate, or 95.0%. Do had a little higher total rate than city. All cities but Busan showed even distribution.

The rate of the elderly's participation in continuing programs was reviewed in order to analyze their life vitality, whether to obtain life simulation, and their communication and relationship with the society. By city, Daegu had the highest rate, or 17.2%; by Do, Chungbuk had the highest rate, or 21.1%. City had a higher total rate than Do. All Dos but Jeonnam, Chungnam, and Jeju showed relatively even distribution.

The desire for hobby and leisure activity was reviewed in order to analyze the elderly's life vitality, whether to obtain life simulation, and their communication and relationship with the society. By city, Daegu had the highest rate, or 90.2%; by Do, Chungbuk had the highest rate, or 98.9%. City and Do had a similar total rate. Compared to other items, this item had very rapidly changed distribution.

According to the Survey of the Elderly, there were clear differences in the employment and functional limitations, suicidal ideation, leisure activity, and satisfaction with local communities between city and Do. However, in terms of total values, there was no big difference between city and Do. the elderly's satisfaction with their current region, their leisure activity, their desire to participate in continuing programs, their desire to join employment programs, and other attempts of the elderly indicate that it is necessary to increase a variety of community and social activities in their current residential region.

Based on the results of 2016 Korea Housing Survey, 2017 Future Population Projection, and 2014 Survey of the Elderly, it was possible to predict the necessity of aging-in-place for urban elderly housing. The results of the urban preference are presented as follows:

First, according to the comparison of the number of households between the capital area, metropolitan regions, and provincial regions (Dos) in 2016 Korea Housing Survey, Gyeonggido was involved in the capital area. In consideration of the result of 2016 Korea Housing Survey and the population status and population density by city and Do in 2017 Future Population Projection, it is inferred that urban elderly housing based aging-in-place is more effective.

Secondly, according to 2017 Future Population Projection, the population ratio and population component ratio of the youth, the median-age, and the elderly by city and Do were almost similar. According to 2016 Korea Housing Survey, regarding the regions and lifestyles that people want to live in and have, small and medium-sized city and urban life were preferred regardless of regions and income bracket types. That people prefer urban life means that urban elderly housing based aging-in-place is preferred by all generations and that its application plan is better.

Thirdly, according to 2017 Future Population Projection, there was no big difference in population status and population density between city and Do. Nevertheless, city had very high population density. According to 2014 Survey of the Elderly, there was no big difference in the data of their living conditions between city and Do. It means that the advantages of aging-in-place for social, economic, and cultural aspects can be more applicable to urban elderly housing.

Fourthly, according to 2016 Korea Housing Survey, regarding the regions and lifestyles that people want to live in and have, large city and small and medium-sized city, and urban life were preferred regardless of regions and income bracket types. In consideration of the result of 2016 Korea Housing Survey and the regional population status and population density in 2017 Future Population Projection, it is possible to predict that the desire for aging-in-place is very high in city and that all age groups including the current elderly age group prefer urban elderly housing.