Aging on the other side: living alone in Singapore's rental flats

Abstract

Despite the wide range of studies on aging done in Singapore, there is very limited knowledge on elderly Singaporeans who live alone. In a family-oriented society like Singapore, where the family is widely regarded as the first line of support for the elderly, this particular group of elderly are often overlooked in the mainstream discourse. Hence, this study aims to explore the aging experience of elderly Singaporeans who live alone in rental flats. Through in-depth interviews with 10 respondents who are also members of PEACE-Connect Senior Activity Centre, this study will highlight themes and findings regarding their experience of living alone in a rental flat, different aspects of their aging experience, as well as some of the issues and challenges that they have faced in the course of aging and living alone.