• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.123-132
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• 2014

Proportion of senior population living alone in South Korea has exceeded over 20.2% in 2012, and it is anticipated that the proportion would increase every year. Poverty rate of seniors living alone in Korea is also anticipated to increase the highest rate (76.6%) among OECD countries. In particular, seniors lacking family support are having greater difficulty and isolated due to high housing costs and housing instability. Therefore, they need a new housing alternatives for considering their economical difficulty and lacking family and social support. This study attempted to examine possibility to develop a new housing alternatives for Korean seniors, especially living urban area. For this purpose, this study identified the attitudes and preference for a new house alternatives(Senior Shared House) by Korean seniors living alone. The key findings of this study were as follows: 1) Eighty-five percent of seniors participated in this study responded the senior shared house was needed. 2) It should be developed by utilizing or renovating and renting out existing housing in city areas. 3) Pre-residence checklist can be developed to connect and match prospect residents. 4) Professional workforce (e.g. housing welfare professional) is absolutely necessary to perform the role of coordinator understanding the various characteristics of the seniors, and their living requirements. Recommendations and directions for future development of senior shared house were suggested.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.13-20
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• 2015

Single household is expected to be the typical form of future Korean elderly household from reduction of household size and rapid growth of the elderly. As Japanese solve the same problem with Senior Sharehouse, a case study on Senior Sharehouse in japan focused on the Spatial Arrangement and Spatial Composition could suggest an potential applications in Korea. In conclusion, compare to Korea, the Senior Sharehouse in Japan supplies additional $7.5{\sim}9.3m^2$ more space to support the physical movement of the elderly and to help the elderly to solve various functions at one space. The independence and privacy of residents are also assured by supplying single occupancy. Space analysis shows that public space is as spacious (47.3~55%) as personal space. The result of the Space analysis suggests that the sharehouse provides rational ratio of space to assure residents' independence. It was supposed that the center type would be the main stream of the Spatial Arrangement for sharehouse considering its characteristic of sharing space. But, the Senior Sharehouse in Japan prefers corner type. The guarantee of personal space is being considered as a important characteristic. As a result of case analysis, Senior Sharehouse can be a proper type of house for single elderly household and present study can be used for the baseline data to solve the residence problem for single elderly household in Korea.