Housing requirements for a ageing society

Various countries in the world have been experiencing a rapid ageing in population. The 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing highlighted the need to develop suitable planning, and emphasized the requirement to include a consideration of the elderly and to provide housing environment and facilities that would fit for the purpose of accommodating the elderly with a due respect of their requirement for health and wellbeing and dignity that they deserve. There is a need for governments of the world to develop innovative policies and public services specifically catering for older people, including: housing, employment, healthcare, infrastructure and social protection. This editorial provides the current state of housing requirements for the elderly, while also providing guidelines and future plans for home development for ageing communities, with a specific interest in Asia.