Aging apartment owners drive demand for senior-friendly housing features

As the average age of middle-class apartment owners rises, demand is growing for residential facilities that include specialized equipment — such as emergency call systems — and lifestyle support services. Senior-friendly design is expected to become increasingly common in new apartment construction and renovation projects alike.

Current apartment complexes are generally considered adequate in terms of convenience and safety, but are widely seen as lacking the facilities and services needed to support independent living among older residents. A paper published in the August issue of the Journal of the Korean Housing Association examined this gap. The study, titled "A Study on the Demand for Apartment Residential Service Operations for the Realization of AIP among Middle-Class Pre-Elderly and Elderly," was authored by Jo In-suk, a lecturer in the Department of Space and Environment at Sangmyung University, and Yoon Young-ho, director of the Housing Research Institute at the Korean Housing Association. AIP stands for "Aging in Place," referring to the ability to continue living in one's own home as one ages.

The study surveyed 173 middle-class apartment residents between the ages of 55 and 74. The initial survey was conducted from Aug. 5 to Aug. 14 last year through online research firm Macromill Embrain. Respondents were drawn from households with incomes between 75 and 200 percent of the median and assets of between 300 million won ($221,000) and 1.1 billion won.

When asked about the most important factor in choosing a place to live, respondents ranked "convenient access to medical facilities such as hospitals and pharmacies" highest at 27.2 percent, followed by "housing costs" at 26.6 percent and "convenient access to public transportation" at 15.6 percent. The findings suggest that proximity to medical facilities — or the availability of convenient connecting services — is a key consideration for middle-class older homebuyers.

Medical facilities, including public health centers and clinics, also received the highest score of 4.38 points in a separate assessment of demand for senior-friendly facilities. Mental health counseling facilities such as dementia centers came second at 4.08 points, followed by care facilities at 3.96 points and leisure and cultural facilities such as senior centers and elder education programs at 3.87 points.

The researchers also found that women expressed significantly higher demand than men for services including basic home management, leisure, home modification and psychological counseling. "Emergency calls, outdoor accompaniment, and care — covering safety, mobility and medical needs — are among the most in-demand services," the researchers said. "Since women show higher demand for daily convenience, leisure and emotional support services, the design should pair core services with optional services that reflect gender-specific needs," they added.

Respondents identified "safe flooring to prevent falls" (63.6 percent) and emergency call systems (49.1 percent) as the most important equipment features. The study found that in outdoor spaces, residents aged 60 and older prioritized benches and rest areas, while those in the pre-elderly group favored age-friendly walkways. Women in particular called for large-print signage, reflecting different needs across demographic groups.

The study recommended a three-tier service structure: emergency call and welfare check services should be provided as standard, given that safety services ranked highest in demand; outdoor accompaniment, housekeeping, leisure and psychological counseling should be offered as optional services; and home medical nursing and care services should be linked to local medical and welfare resources under the integrated care law.

The researchers also noted that 90.2 percent of respondents said they would accept the building management office as the body responsible for operating such services. "The role of the management office needs to expand from facility management to that of an integrated senior residential care coordinator, with staff trained to connect residents to external welfare and medical services," they added. High-end apartment complexes targeting wealthy older residents are already moving in this direction, expanding concierge functions to enhance residential convenience.

Construction companies are also actively promoting healthcare and other medically specialized services as they compete for reconstruction contracts in areas such as Mokdong and Apgujeong. Hyundai E&C signed an MOU with The Classic 500 in May, announcing plans to offer a high-end senior service combining residential, health and community features exclusively for its Apgujeong District 3 and 5 reconstruction project. The service will include medical programs linked to Konkuk University Hospital and healthcare programs focused on preventing falls, cognitive decline and dementia.

Ipark Hyundai Development is also highlighting a health management program tied to Asan Medical Center as a key selling point of Park Roche Seoul One, a wellness residence it plans to offer within the Seoul One Ipark complex in Nowon-gu, Seoul. The program is designed to provide health checkups, preventive care and follow-up management within the complex. An Internet of Things-based safety management system will also be incorporated to meet the needs of middle-class older residents.