Factors Affecting Place Attachment and Types of Living ArrangementPreferences for Ageing-In-Place of the Malaysian GenerationalHousing Consumers in Malaysia

Abstract

Nearly all older adults prefer to age in their homes and neighbourhoods instead of in an institutional facility. The concept of ‘ageing-in-place’enables people to maximise their self-realisationand preferred lifestyle in familiar surroundings or elsewhere. The study aims to provide an in-depthoverview ofthe place attachmentfactors and living arrangement structure preferences that affectthe generationsinShah Alam, Selangor.Themainobjectives ofthis studyare:(i) to identify thefactorsaffecting place attachment for ageing-in-place; and(ii) to determine the types of living arrangement preferencesfor ageing-in-place. This study adopts a mixed-method research strategy combining qualitative (interviews with industrial experts) and quantitative (survey questionnaires to the housing consumers) data gathering. The findings from this study revealfour(4) main place attachment factors:(1) Facilities & Amenities; (2) Geographic Location; (3) Physical Environment;and(4) Social & Well-being. The main types of preferred living arrangement for ageing-in-place are; (1) Living alone; (2) Living with parents; (3) Living with spouse; (4) Living with son/daughter; and (5) Living with family members. Theresearch findings are vital, whereit can be beneficial to theactors of the development process, including the public and private agencies, to gain more knowledge on the preferences factors for ageing-in-place for a better supply of housing provisions. The housing consumers in Malaysiawill benefit from having more housing choices specifically tailored for future ageing life stages.