Published by
Housing and Development Board HDB Hub 480 Lorong 6 Toa Payoh Singapore 310480
Research Team
Goh Li Ping (Team Leader) William Lim Teong Wee Tan Hui Fang Wu Juan Juan Tan Tze Hui Lim E-Farn Fiona Lee Yiling Sangeetha D/O Panearselvan Amy Wong Jin Ying Esther Chua Jia Ping Phay Huai Yu Ian Lim Wei Wendy Li Xin Quek Xin Ping Cherie Lin Xinyi Max Chan Weng Kin Goh Pei Xuan Alysia Wee Wan Ting
Advisor: Dr Chong Fook Loong
- Research Advisory Panel:
- Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser
Associate Professor Pow Choon Piew Associate Professor Kang Soon Hock Associate Professor Nicholas Hon Hsueh Hsien Dr Ong Qiyan
We also wish to acknowledge with thanks:
••
Dr. Lai Ah Eng for her guidance in the initial phase of the survey Yvonne Tan Ci En, Tan Hwee Koon, Nur Asykin Ramli, Paveena Seah Chia Shih and Michelle Fong Jing Ting for their contributions to the survey
Published Feb 2021 All information is correct at the time of printing.
© 2021 Housing & Development Board
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording without the written permission of the Housing and Development Board. Such written permission must also be obtained before any part of this publication is stored in a retrieval system of any nature.
ISBN 978-981-14-9469-7
PUBLIC HOUSING IN SINGAPORE: Social Well-Being of HDB Communities & Well-Being of
the Elderly
FOREWORD
HDB has strived to provide a holistic living environment for HDB residents as well as serve the many who use facilities in HDB towns. This is achieved by delivering good homes in the form of affordable public housing and well-planned towns; putting people at the centre of every plan and policy. A key to better homes is undoubtedly developing a keen understanding of the people for whom we are building. As HDB celebrates its 60th anniversary, it is timely to take stock of our efforts and to obtain our residents’ feedback so as to continue to do better.
An important barometer of our residents’ sentiments is the Sample Household
Survey (SHS). First launched in 1968, SHS 2018 is the 11th in a series of largescale surveys carried out every five years. SHS 2018 covered close to 8,000 HDB households across all towns/estates and flat types. The SHS has made trend analysis possible and has provided insights on residents’ views on HDB living. The findings serve as important inputs for policy reviews and improvements to the living environment.
While HDB has made significant transformation to public housing, many dynamic changes continue to take place. Aspirational desires for quality living will take new shape. There are shifts in emphasis towards community-centric and liveability issues. All these will have an impact on the physical and social landscape. SHS 2018 provided residents with a platform to share their HDB living experience - from the design of their flats, ease of accessibility, to the strength of community ties. The survey also explored new evolving aspects like online shopping and unique places in their towns that hold special memories.
The SHS 2018 findings have shown an improvement in satisfaction with the HDB living environment from 2013. Besides affirming HDB policies, the findings also lent support that the physical living environment is important in the building of ties, contributing to residents’ overall well-being. Gaining insights from SHS 2018, there is a greater need to engage the community to strengthen social capital and resilience, especially among the more vulnerable households. In the planning of
our towns, HDB also intends to place residents’ health and wellness at the forefront.
The salient findings are published in the following two monographs:
i) Public Housing in Singapore: Residents' Profile, Housing Satisfaction and Preferences; and
ii) Public Housing in Singapore: Social Well-Being of HDB Communities &
Well-Being of the Elderly.
We deeply appreciate all residents who have generously given us their time and invaluable feedback. Their responses will enable HDB to better design quality flats,
meaningful communal spaces and formulate new strategies to deepen residents’
sense of belonging to their towns. Dr. Cheong Koon Hean Chief Executive Officer Housing & Development Board
i
- Contents
- Page
FOREWORD
iiii
CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES
v
LIST OF CHARTS
xi
KEY INDICATORS
xv xxi
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
3
3445
1.2 Objectives 1.3 Sampling Design 1.4 Outline of Monograph
- SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF HDB COMMUNITIES
- 9
CHAPTER 2 OUTLOOK ON LIFE
2.1 Satisfaction with Life
15
15 23 25 27
2.2 Overall Level of Happiness 2.3 Personal Resilience 2.4 Summary of Findings
- CHAPTER 3 FAMILY TIES
- 33
35 40 41 46 54
3.1 Physical Living Arrangement 3.2 Social Living Arrangement 3.3 Depth of Interaction 3.4 Forms and Extent of Family Support 3.5 Relationship between Proximity, Frequency of Visits, and Family Support
3.6 Attitudes towards Family 3.7 Summary of Findings
56 58
iii
- Contents
- Page
CHAPTER 4 SOCIAL CAPITAL
4.1 Concept of Social Capital
65
65 68 72 76
4.2 Level of Social Capital among HDB Residents 4.3 Social Capital Scores by Attributes 4.4 Summary of Findings
CHAPTER 5 COMMUNITY BONDING
5.1 Neighbourly Relations 5.2 Rootedness
81
81 97
5.3 Community Engagement 5.4 Summary of Findings
106 113
- CONCLUSION: SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF HDB COMMUNITIES
- 117
- WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY
- 121
CHAPTER 6 WELL-BEING OF THE ELDERLY
6.1 HDB Elderly and Future Elderly Households
6.1.1 Demographic Characteristics
6.2 Personal Aspects
125
127 127 132 133 137 139 139 153 166 167 172 177 183
6.2.1 Outlook on Life 6.2.2 Health Status
6.3 Social Aspects
6.3.1 Family Ties 6.3.2 Community Bonding
6.4 Housing Aspects
6.4.1 Housing Mobility and Aspirations 6.4.2 Physical Living Experience 6.4.3 Satisfaction and Usage of Estate Facilities 6.4.4 Ideal Living Arrangement for Elderly Who Require
Assistance with Daily Living Activities
6.5 Summary of Findings 6.6 Conclusion
186 189
iv
- List of Tables
- Page
Table 2.1 Table 2.2
Satisfaction with Aspects of Life by Year...........................................................16
Overall Life Satisfaction among HDB Households ...................................17 by Attributes
Table 2.3
Table 2.4 Table 2.5 Table 2.6 Table 2.7 Table 2.8 Table 3.1 Table 3.2 Table 3.3
Satisfaction with Family Relations among HDB .........................................19 Households by Attributes
Satisfaction with Neighbourly Relations among .........................................21 HDB Households by Attributes
Satisfaction with Housing Situation among HDB Households..........22 by Attributes
Overall Happiness with Life among HDB Households ..........................24 by Attributes
Mean Resilience Scores among HDB Households .................................26 By Personal and Social Resources
Mean Resilience Scores among HDB Households .................................27 by Attributes
Attributes of Younger Married ...................................................................................34
Residents and Older Residents with Married Children Present and Preferred Physical Living Arrangements ...........................36 of Younger Married Residents vis-à-vis Their Parents
Present and Preferred Physical Living Arrangements ...........................38 of Younger Married Residents vis-à-vis Their Parents by Resident Life Cycle Stage
- Table 3.4
- Present and Preferred Physical Living Arrangements............................39
of Older Residents with Married Children vis-à-vis Their Married Children
Table 3.5
Table 3.6 Table 3.7 Table 3.8 Table 3.9 Table 3.10 Table 3.11 Table 3.12
Present and Preferred Social Living Arrangements..................................40 of Younger Married Residents by Year
Present and Preferred Social Living Arrangements..................................41 of Older Residents with Married Children by Year
Frequency of Visits between Younger Married Residents .................42 and Their Parents by Year
Frequency of Visits between Older Residents .............................................42 and Their Married Children by Year
Frequency of Visits between Younger Married Residents .................43 and Their Parents by Attributes
Frequency of Visits between Older Residents .............................................44 and Their Married Children by Attributes
Childcare Arrangements of Younger Married Residents .....................46 with Children Aged 12 Years Old and Below by Year
Regular Financial Support from Younger Married Residents ..........47 to Parents by Year
v
- List of Tables
- Page
Table 3.13 Table 3.14 Table 3.15 Table 3.16 Table 3.17 Table 3.18
Regular Financial Support from Younger Married Residents ..........47 to Parents by Attributes
Amount Contributed to Parents from Younger Married ........................48 Residents by Attributes
Regular Financial Support Received by Older Residents ..................49 with Married Children by Year
Regular Financial Support Received by Older Residents ..................49 with Married Children by Attributes
Amount of Financial Support Received by Older Residents ............50 with Married Children by Attributes
Whether Younger Married Residents are Able to Rely on .................51 Family Members for Physical, Emotional and Financial Support (In Times of Need)
Table 3.19
Table 3.20
Whether Younger Married Residents are Able to Rely on .................51 At Least One Family Member for Support
Whether Older Residents with Married Children are Able .................53 to Rely on Family Members for Physical, Emotional and Financial Support (In Times of Need)
Table 3.21
Table 3.22 Table 3.23
Whether Older Residents with Married Children are Able .................53 to Rely on At Least One Family Member for Support
Frequency of Visits between Younger Married Residents .................54 and Their Parents by Proximity
Frequency of Visits between Older Residents and ..................................55 Married Children by Proximity
Table 3.24 Table 3.25 Table 4.1 Table 4.2
Norms of Trust and Reciprocity with Family Members .........................57
Statements on Family Values ....................................................................................58
Social Capital Scores among HDB Households by Year ....................69 Norms of Trust in Informal and Generalised Networks .........................69 among HDB Households by Year
Table 4.3
Table 4.4
Norms of Reciprocity in Informal and Generalised Networks ..........70 among HDB Households by Year
Size of Informal and Generalised Networks among HDB....................71 Households by Year
Table 4.5 Table 4.6
Confidence in Institutions among HDB Households by Year ...........72 Level of Social Capital among HDB Households by ...............................73 Marital Status
Table 4.7 Table 4.8
Size of Networks among HDB Households by Marital Status ..........73 Level of Social Capital among HDB Households by ...............................74 Highest Education Level Attained
- Table 4.9
- Size of Networks among HDB Households by Highest ........................74
Education Level Attained
vi
- List of Tables
- Page
Table 4.10 Table 4.11 Table 5.1
Level of Social Capital among HDB Households by Flat Type ......75 Size of Networks among HDB Households by Flat Type .....................75 Frequency of Neighbourly Interaction among HDB .................................83 Households
Table 5.2 Table 5.3 Table 5.4
Neighbourly Interaction by Ethnic Group ......................................84
Neighbourly Interaction by Age of Block............................................................85
Types of Help Received/Provided among HDB Households ...........86 who Received/Rendered Help
- Table 5.5
- Received Help from/Provided help to Neighbours among .................87
HDB Households by Attributes
Table 5.6 Table 5.7 Table 5.8
Tolerance Level for Types of Nuisance Faced by Year .......................89 Households who Faced Nuisances by Attributes ......................................90 Whether Resolved Nuisances among Households who ......................91 Faced Nuisances by Types of Neighbourly Interaction
- Table 5.9
- Type of Efforts to Resolve Nuisances among Households ...............92
who Faced Nuisances
Table 5.10 Table 5.11
Places where Neighbours Meet for Interaction by Year .......................93 Type of Special/Fond Memories Within Town of Residence ...........96 among HDB Households
Table 5.12
Table 5.13 Table 5.14 Table 5.15
Places where Fond Memories were Formed among ..............................97 Households who had Fond Memories
Sense of Belonging among HDB Households by ......................................99 Length of Residence
Intensity of Sense of Belonging among HDB Households ..............100 by Age
Types of Iconic/Unique Places Within Town among HDB ..............101 Households who were Able to Identify Iconic/Unique Place/Building
Table 5.16 Table 5.17
Iconic Places Named by Town/Estate .............................................................102
Sense of Community Score among HDB Households........................103 by Year
Table 5.18
Table 5.19 Table 5.20 Table 5.21
Sense of Community Score among HDB Households .......................104 by Attributes
Sense of Pride to Community among HDB Households ..................105 by Attributes
Reasons for Not Participating in Community Activities ......................108 by Year
Community Participation Over Past 12 Months .......................................109 among HDB Households by Attributes
vii
- List of Tables
- Page
Table 5.22 Table 5.23
Types of Hobby-Related Activities Participated in on .........................110 Regular Basis
Contribution of Services for Benefit of Community among .............112 HDB Households by Attributes
Table 5.24 Table 5.25
Types of Help/Services Rendered ......................................................................112
Contribution of Services among HDB Households and .....................113 Reasons for Not Contributing/Unwillingness to Contribute
Table 6.1
Table 6.2 Table 6.3 Table 6.4 Table 6.5 Table 6.6
HDB Elderly and Future Elderly Households by Flat Type .............129 and Year
HDB Elderly and Future Elderly Households by Type of .................130 Family Nucleus and Year
HDB Elderly and Future Elderly Households by Labour ...................131 Force Status and Year
Employed HDB Elderly and Future Elderly Households by.............132 Education Level and Year
Overall Life Satisfaction of Elderly and Future Elderly .......................135 Households by Year
Mean Personal Resilience Scores among Elderly and.......................137 Future Elderly Households by Personal and Social Resources
Table 6.7 Table 6.8
Whether Fully Ambulant by Age ...........................................................................138
Most Common Long-Term Illnesses among Elderly and .................138 Future Elderly
- Table 6.9
- Whether Follow-Up Regularly with Healthcare Providers ................139
for Elderly and Future Elderly
Table 6.10
Table 6.11 Table 6.12 Table 6.13 Table 6.14 Table 6.15 Table 6.16
Present and Preferred Physical Living Arrangements of .................140 Elderly vis-à-vis Their Married Children by Year
Present and Preferred Physical Living Arrangements of .................141 Future Elderly vis-à-vis Their Married Children by Year
Present and Preferred Social Living Arrangements of .......................142 Elderly by Year
Present and Preferred Social Living Arrangements of .......................143 Future Elderly by Year
Frequency of Visits between Elderly and Future Elderly...................144 with Their Married Children by Year
Keeping in Touch with Family Members among Elderly and ........146 Future Elderly by Labour Force Status
Whether Elderly and Future Elderly Able to Rely on.............................147 at Least One Family Member for Support
viii
- List of Tables
- Page
Table 6.17 Table 6.18
Whether Elderly Households are Able to Rely on Family ................148 Members for Physical, Emotional and Financial Support (In Times of Need)
Whether Future Elderly Households are Able to Rely on ................148 Family Members for Physical, Emotional and Financial Support (In Times of Need)
Table 6.19
Table 6.20 Table 6.21 Table 6.22 Table 6.23
Regular Financial Support Received by Elderly and ...........................151 Future Elderly from All Children by Attributes
Amount of Financial Support Received by Elderly and .....................151 Future Elderly from All Children by Attributes
Norms of Trust with Family Members and Relatives for ...................152 Elderly and Future Elderly
Norms of Reciprocity with Family Members and Relatives ............152 for Elderly and Future Elderly
Composition of Informal Network Size of Family Members ...........152 and Relatives for Elderly and Future Elderly
Table 6.24 Table 6.25
View of Elderly and Future Elderly on Family Values .........................153 Types of Neighbourly Interaction among Elderly and .........................154 Future Elderly by Year
Table 6.26
Table 6.27 Table 6.28 Table 6.29 Table 6.30 Table 6.31 Table 6.32 Table 6.33 Table 6.34 Table 6.35 Table 6.36
Types and Frequency of Neighbourly Interaction among ................155 Elderly
Types and Frequency of Neighbourly Interaction among ................156 Future Elderly
Places where Neighbours Meet for Interaction among ......................157 Elderly and Future Elderly
Sense of Community Score among Elderly and ......................................158 Future Elderly
Community Participation of Elderly and Future Elderly .....................159 Over Past 12 Months by Year
Reasons for Not Participating in Community Activities ......................159 among Elderly and Future Elderly by Year
Types of Community Participation among Elderly and ......................160 Future Elderly Over Past 12 Months by Year
Participation in Community Activities among Elderly and ................160 Future Elderly by Attributes
Participation in Hobby-Related Activities among Elderly .................161 and Future Elderly
Participation in Community and Hobby-Related Activities ..............161 for Elderly and Future Elderly
Types of Help/Services Rendered by Elderly and...................................162 Future Elderly
ix
- List of Tables
- Page
Table 6.37 Table 6.38 Table 6.39 Table 6.40 Table 6.41 Table 6.42 Table 6.43 Table 6.44 Table 6.45 Table 6.46
Reasons for Not Contributing Services among Elderly ......................163 and Future Elderly
Actual Contribution among Elderly and Future Elderly ......................164 by Attributes
Norms of Trust with Informal Community Networks of .......................165 Elderly and Future Elderly
Norms of Reciprocity with Informal Community Networks of ........165 Elderly and Future Elderly
Composition of Informal Community Network Size for ......................165 Elderly and Future Elderly
Sense of Belonging among Elderly and Future Elderly .....................166 by Year