Where and How Extensive Are the Living Areas of the Elderly? An Empirical Study on ‘Ageing in Place’ in Three Small and Medium-Sized Japanese Cities

Abstract

The policies regarding the elderly in advanced countries are based on the notion of ‘ageing in place’. The question arises, where and how extensive can the ‘place’ be? Is there a method of estimating a senior’s living area? The purpose of this study was to determine the common characteristics of the living areas of seniors in three small and medium-sized Japanese cities. The basic methodology involved a comparative analysis involving these cities. We used case studies to cross tabulate interviews regarding the daily outings of participants, some of whom needed long-term care while others did not. The data covered a total of 727 participants, 307 of whom needed long-term care and 420 requiring none. Comparative analysis revealed the common characteristics of living areas for seniors in these cities, i.e., two-layered living areas of healthy seniors; fewer outings on foot due to frailty; the average moving time via transportation is approximately 12 min; and living areas overlap districts where hospitals and stores are located. The results indicate that we can roughly estimate the living areas of seniors in any neighborhood to investigate accessibility to nearby hospitals and stores.