Assessing the Spatial Suitability of Community-Based Eldercare Centers in High-Density Cities: A Perception-Driven Evaluation Framework

In the context of high-density urban renewal, aligning community-based eldercare centers with the heterogeneous needs of older adults is essential for sustainable aging in place. This imperative demands a paradigm shift from supply-side spatial accessibility to demand-side perceived suitability. Grounded in Person–Environment Fit (P–E Fit) theory, this study establishes a multi-scalar evaluation framework comprising three core dimensions: accessibility and equity, functional efficiency, and environmental performance. Drawing on empirical survey data from 586 older adults across 13 typical communities in Gongshu District, Hangzhou, the framework was supported by a third-order CFA with acceptable absolute fit, although incremental fit indices were attenuated by model complexity. The empirical findings yield two key insights. First, environmental performance emerges as the primary determinant of perceived spatial suitability (weight: 0.3429), suggesting a potential “quality–proximity compensatory” tendency wherein older adults tend to prioritize refined spatial quality over mere physical proximity, although this interpretation requires further empirical validation. Second, within the surveyed cohort, perceived importance declined markedly around age 75, reflecting an experiential transition window rather than an invariant chronological threshold, and pointing to a potential divergence between standardized spatial provision and the heightened dependencies of advanced age. To operationalize these findings, an exploratory four-tier suitability classification tool coupled with differentiated spatial programming strategies was developed. This research provides urban planners and policymakers with a bottom-up decision-support framework to advance precision governance in high-density cities.