INTRODUCTION 2

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Housing and Housing Aspiration

The transition from public area to private is the symbolization of a house. (Cristoforetti A, Gennai F, Rodeschini G, 2011) According to Cambridge Dictionary, house is physically a building that lived in by people. Meanwhile, housing is also regarded as one of the human basis as it works as a safety shelter in providing the sense of security and protection, as well as independence and freedom. Human Rights Education Associates (2011) states that housing should fulfils physical, psychological, social and even economic needs of a person. In some ways, a house physically gives a sense of protection and security whilst providing the users with a sense of personal space and privacy in fulfilling his psychological needs. A house is a significance to the vulnerable group of people especially the elderly as it fulfilled the essential need for safety and shelter. Hence, it is crucial and necessary for people who entering the aging process to cater their retirement lifestyle in a suitable and comfortable place.

1.2 Malaysian Elderly and the Aging Phenomenon

            Aging is unavoidable. In line with the United Nations’ and Ministry of Health’s recommendations, “the elderly or ageing population” is taken to mean people aged 60 years or older.(Karim, 1997) It is estimated that the number of Malaysians aged 60 and above to be 2.8 million presently and is projected to increase to 3.3 million in the year 2020.(Mafauzy, 2000) Besides, there is also an increase happened on the percentage of the ageing population from 5.2% in 1970 to 6.3% in the year 2000 and it is expected to be 9.8% in the year 2020. (Mafauzy, 2000) This is supported when (Bernama, 2016) reported that the record from National Statistics Department, Malaysia shows that there is 2.8 million of elderly out of 31 million Malaysians in the year 2015. Synonymously, the elderly population in Malaysia is about 9% of the population in Malaysia today. The situation above shows that Malaysia’s population is ageing at a faster rate than many may realised. Apart from that, the ageing population are also now living longer as an increase in average life expectancy. In Malaysia, the average life expectancy for women and men is 76 and 73 years, respectively. Due to the fact that women tends to live longer than men, disproportion between males and females occurs and yet increasing with ageing. As a result, the aged population is expected to undergo a big increasing rate of 210% between 1990 and 2020. (Mafauzy, 2000)

1.3 Aim and Objective

            It is no doubt that population aging will generate new challenges especially to Malaysia who is currently on its path of being developed nation by the year 2020. Universal design, equally available as well as age-irrelevant society are required. Therefore, proper emphasis need to be given on the issues of elderly needs and aspirations which are now often being neglected. Housing is one of the basic needs of people. However, it is definitely sad when we often heard that low and modest seniors are having trouble in finding safe housing they can afford meanwhile meet their physical needs. Facilities and disability features as well as universal access is strictly hard to be found in the current housing design. This circumstances has induced the basics and formulation of the key research question, what are the housing aspirations and future housing plans for the elderly in Malaysia?

            On the other hand, Malaysian way of life had changed due to the rapid transformation of Malaysia into an urban society.(Ainoriza Mohd Aini, Nooraisyilah Murni, Wan Nor Azriyati Wan Abd Aziz, 2016) In the past, Malaysians were practising the benchmark where the elderly staying together with the younger generation under one roof. Younger generation will carry out their filial duty on taking good care on their parents in paying back to what parents had given. However, due to the rapid modernisation and urbanisation, educational and job opportunities has expanded and promoting more younger population to migrate to the urbanised areas in order to improve their quality of life.(Ainoriza Mohd Aini, Nooraisyilah Murni, Wan Nor Azriyati Wan Abd Aziz, 2016) This situation has separated them from their family and thus neglecting the family bonding which is once so crucial in Asian culture.

            In order to adapt with the economic environment as well as taking good care with the elderly parents, multi-generational living might be bringing back into our society today. Multi-generational living can be defined as those consisting of more than two generations living under one roof. In developing the new housing plans, improvement in term of space planning as well as affordability and sustainability need to be prompted in providing solutions to the current intangible issues faced by both generations.

1.4 Asian Culture on Responsibility of Caring for Elderly Parents       

            There is a Chinese saying: store up grains against famine and rear sons for help in old age. In Asian culture, we practice Confucian ideals where filial piety, or xiao has been the dominating concept in family bonding. Filial piety in Confucian teachings refers to a range of behavioural prescriptions, including respecting, obeying, living with parents or staying close to parents, taking care of parents as well as avoiding injury to self.(Chow, 2001) (Hsu, H.-C., Lew-Ting, C.-Y., Wu, S.-C., 2001) (Yang, 1997) Hence, the responsibilities of caring for parents will be automatically falls on the shoulder of the children and their extended family. “Of all virtues, filial piety is the first”, this Chinese saying clearly demonstrated the importance of filial duty. Therefore, obeying and serving parents become a must in such being the highest of all virtues.

            According to Confucian teachings, the family acts as the key to the social organizations for Chinese societies since thousands of years ago. In Chinese family, the members rely and support each other’s resources in meeting physical, social and psychological needs. For example, parents gave life to children, taking care of the child with food and clothes as well as education. By receiving all the things from parents, children will have a perpetual obligations towards their parents. It is a debt, a forever unpaid debt. Therefore, in order to pay back to our lovely parents, what we can do is at least taking care of them in their old age, accompanying them to make them proud and happy, nevertheless, to serve and obey them.

1.5 Research plan and methodology

            Multi-generational living is a thing of the past? Or it might be the path of future? Rather than a return to the past, multi-generational living can be part of a new economic and demographic age, characterised by strengthened “multi-generational bonds” inside and outside the home. Different approach into both traditional method as well as modern method will be studied and investigated in the following chapters through site visits, interviews, surveys and others. Traditional practice in multi-generational living such as traditional Malay kampong house, Chinese courtyard house and traditional Sarawak longhouses might give a big help in developing the future housing plans. Besides, through the site visit to Ara Green Residences located in Ara Damansara, Green Acres Retirement Village in Ipoh and The Green Leaf of Retirement in Sepang, dual-key concept which now practicing can be improved in order to meet needs from both generations.