2020 Volume 15 Pages 76-90
This study examined challenges in the actualization of aging-in-place initiatives in shrinking and aging suburban neighborhoods in Japan by analyzing the everyday life for older adults, their perceived barriers, and the physical and social environments of suburban neighborhoods. Based on previous studies, we established three analytical scales for this study: 1) body and house, 2) residential area, and 3) wider areas. First, we conducted empirical field surveys in suburban neighborhoods in Gifu city to investigate the reality of older adults’everyday lives and their perceived barriers in the neighborhood. Although most older adults are eager to continue independent life, there were notable physical and social barriers in their residential environments. Older adults have accumulated their conditions, which enabled continuous residency, by modifying their environments and preparing for their changes overtime. To achieve aging-in-place initiatives in Japanese aging neighborhoods, it is necessary to understand the socio-geographical differentiation of the elderly, adopt urban governance to deal with population aging and urban shrinkage, fulfill care environment requirements, and improve welfare systems as a whole.
