January 7, 2026

What does it mean to age well in a city where living alone is increasingly common? In ‘Ageing in Networks: Living Alone but Connected’ (Ageing & Society, 2025), Associate Professor Vincent Chua (NUS Sociology and Anthropology & NUS Centre for Family and Population Research), Associate Professor Chen-Chieh Feng (NUS Geography), and Professor Elaine Lynn-Ee Ho (NUS Geography & NUS Asia Research Institute) propose a new conceptual framework for understanding later life in urban Asia.  

Instead of viewing ageing only through physical spaces—such as staying in one’s home (ageing in place) or moving between locations (ageing and place)—the authors propose the idea of “ageing in networks.” This approach highlights how older adults stay connected through relationships that span homes, neighbourhoods, and even digital spaces. The article, based on a large-scale study of 1,199 Singapore residents aged 60 to 92 in Hougang and Taman Jurong, reports that many who live alone remain socially active and supported through diverse networks of care.

Using surveys and digital mapping tools, the study traces how older adults’ connections—ranging from close family bonds to friendships with neighbours, former colleagues, and community members—shape their everyday routines and wellbeing. While family often forms the heart of these networks, looser ties provide valuable companionship, information, and help in daily life. Together, these overlapping circles of connection create a social safety net that goes beyond the household.

The authors assert that what truly matters for wellbeing is not where older adults live, but who they stay in touch with. Close relationships help reduce feelings of depression, while wider networks open doors to activities, services, and opportunities. Many older adults travel across Singapore to meet friends at hawker centres, community clubs, or places of worship—not just for errands, but to maintain meaningful connections. Even those living alone often keep in touch through phone calls, WhatsApp, or social media, showing that social isolation, not physical distance, is the real challenge.

By introducing the concept of “ageing in networks,” the authors call for a shift in how we think about ageing policy—from building only physical infrastructure to also nurturing social infrastructure. Supporting friendships, neighbourhood networks, and digital inclusion can help older adults live independently while staying connected. Singapore, they argue, offers an important example of how strong relationships and not just well-designed spaces can help people age well in modern cities.

Read the article here.

Read the Straits Times opinion piece on the study, ‘When seniors live alone, it doesn’t mean they are lonely’, published on 7 January 2026, here.