Neighborhood Land Use, Work Participation, and Quality of Life Among Workers in Mid and Late Life: Exploratory Analysis of Singapore’s Public Housing Neighborhoods

Abstract

Neighborhood environments have been positively associated with older adults’ engagement outcomes. As mid- and late-life work participation gains traction, the scope of productive engagement in later life expands concomitantly. However, current age-friendly neighborhood paradigms remain largely retirement-centric, with minimal applicability for older adults with work aspirations. Therefore, the objective of this research was to examine whether neighborhood land use had significant impact on older adults’ work participation and well-being while working. Neighborhood variables were measured at the postal code level and statistically analyzed in relation to work participation and quality of life (QOL) scores for 850 older adults in Singapore. Significant variables were evaluated again for 28 planning areas, and statistically analyzed in relation to workforce participation rates. The findings suggest that neighborhood spatial attributes are significant for mid- and late-life work participation: Strategic provision of amenities was associated with individual work participation and well-being, while density and distribution of specific land-use types were associated with workforce participation rates. The article concludes with a discussion on the gaps in planning approaches for work-supportive and age-friendly neighborhood paradigms.

Keywords:

• Age-friendly neighborhood
• older workers
• urban planning
• work participation

Acknowledgment

The authors thank the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) for its ongoing interest and contribution of data for this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency in Singapore.

Data availability statement

Due to the sensitive nature of data collected, survey respondents were assured raw data would remain confidential and would not be shared. Data not available/the data that have been used are confidential.

Notes

1 Aging in place is defined as one’s ability to live independently in the community rather than in residential care” (Havighurst, 1961).

2 For this study, “work participation” refers to forms of formal paid employment (full-time, part-time, self-employed). Work participation status was converted to binary variables (1 working, 0 not working).

3 Planning areas included in the analysis: Ang Mo Kio, Bedok, Bishan, Bukit Batok, Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Timah, Choa Chu Kang, Clementi, Geylang, Hougang, Jurong East, Jurong West, Kallang, Marine Parade, Novena, Outram, Pasir Ris, Punggol, Queenstown, Sembawang, Sengkang, Serangoon, Tampines, Tanglin, Toa Payoh, Woodlands, Yishun (refer to Figure 3(b)).

4 Data source: GIS data extracted from Data.gov.sg—Singapore’s consolidated GIS data platform with data sets from Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Ministry of National Development (MND), National Parks (NParks), Housing Development Board (HDB), Land Transport Authority (HDB), Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Singapore Sports Council (SSC).

5 The individual variables analyzed were age (recoded as age bands 1, 50–64 Y.O., 2, 65–74 Y.O., 3, >75 Y.O.), marital status, education level, income level (coded as three income band levels), occupation status, housing type, living arrangement, caregiving status, health conditions (in terms of physical/mental disability, and chronic conditions), and perceived state of health (subjective health).

6 The demographic variables analysed include the population percentage of older adults by age (50–64, >65 Y.O.), gender (males), marital status (married), living arrangement (living in HDB/private), living arrangement (living alone), education level (no education, up to primary education, up to secondary education, up to tertiary education), by industry (manufacturing, construction, services, others), type of job (white- and blue-collar), mode of transportation to work (private, walking, public transport), and time taken to commute to work (in 15-min intervals).

7 Younger older adults (between 40 and 65 Y.O.) in Singapore were reported to bear most of the caregiving burden for the elderly (especially the old-old, above 85 Y.O.).