Changing demographics and lifestyles in Thailand are eroding traditional
patterns of family support for the elderly. Caring for the elderly within the family
structure is no longer assured. However, the concept of living in retirement
housing is unfamiliar to most senior Thai citizens. The purpose of this study was to
examine the acceptance of nontraditional retirement housing by pre-retirees in
Thailand.
The study was based on Rogers' (1995) theory on diffusion of
innovations. Personal innovativeness toward housing and acceptance of
nontraditional retirement housing of an age-stratified sample of 423 faculty
pre-retirees at selected Thai universities, representing metropolitan and non-metropolitan
areas, were examined. Four types of housing, perceived as new
options to Thai people, were considered: the universal designed single detached
house (SD); Elder Cottage Housing Opportunity or "granny flat" (ECHO);
congregate housing (CH), and the Continuing Care Retirement Community
(CCRC). Independent variables were demographic characteristics (age, gender,
marital status, education, and income) and housing characteristics (tenure status,
dwelling expenditure, current housing type, and location).
Data were collected during February 2002 through a self-administered
questionnaire. Descriptive analyses of the independent variables were presented in
frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, and t-tests and ANOVA were
conducted for comparison of variables. Stepwise multiple regression and nonparametric
correlation were utilized to test seven null hypotheses.
Results dictated rejection of six of the seven null hypotheses. A
relationship between personal innovativeness toward housing and gender, income,
and education level were found. Males and those with higher income had higher
mean innovativeness scores. However, those with higher education levels had
lower innovativeness toward housing. Females had higher mean acceptance scores
for combined non-traditional housing types. Of the four housing types, the
universal designed single detached house (SD) was the most acceptable, followed
by Continuing Care Retirement Housing (CCRC). Metropolitan respondents were
more accepting of the CCRC than non-metropolitan. A positive correlation was found between personal innovativeness toward
housing and acceptance of non-traditional housing types. Personal innovativeness
also mediated the effect of demographic and housing characteristics on acceptance
of all non-traditional retirement housing types. Respondents showed a medium
level of personal innovativeness and a medium to high level of acceptance of non-traditional
housing types.
Mass media communication was suggested to promote awareness and
knowledge of non-traditional housing types to prospective elderly housing
consumers. Research on cultural aspects of retirement housing for Thai housing
consumers was recommended for further study. / Graduation date: 2003
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/31142 |
| Date | 28 August 2002 |
| Creators | Buasri, Virajada |
| Contributors | Burns, Leslie D., Steggell, Carmen D. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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