DESIGNING STUDIO APARTMENT FOR ELDERLY TO AGE IN PLACE
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Date
2020
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Abstract
The desires to live independently during old age throw challenge to interior designers to think up suitable dwelling that facilitate elderly to age in place. The present research aimed at identifying the gap between existing housing conditions and housing needs of elderly and design a studio apartment a self-contained housing unit that place the whole lot of activities in a single room except the bathroom. The standard design guidelines evolved through research by various Government and Non-government organizations and researchers served as a yardstick to identify dependent variables. Each design feature of the house was treated as a dependent variable.
Existing living rooms were found lacking in space allowances for circulation and wheelchair users. Irrespective of the provisions made in their existing living room, respondents wanted to have a living room with standard design features. The bath rooms in existing elderly houses were found lacking in features like sufficient space for wheel chair, fittings and fixtures to ensure safety and convenience in usage. While designing houses due thought was not given to plan bath rooms to accommodate the needs that may arise in old age. The elderly desired to have bath rooms with features like sufficient space for wheel chair, fittings and fixtures to ensure safety and convenience in usage.
The clearance space for making bed, for movement around bed, for making use of space on one side of the bed, shelves at proper height was preferred by more than half of the elderly. More than three fourth of the study sample desired to have additional space to perform other activities in the bedroom and bedrails on the sides of the bed, buzzer on the sides of the bed and alarm system.
The work counters in majority of the existing kitchen were found at appropriate height. Lighting fixtures, provision of exhaust fans, floor coverings were found as per design standards in most of the houses. Almost the entire sample selected for the study preferred kitchen strictly as per the design guide lines. Convenient accessibility was felt most essential design feature by elderly. The elderly felt essential to have both direct and indirect access between dining space and living space, entry/exit and private outdoor. The sample felt sufficient table space was essential.
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No extra effort was taken to make flooring on-slippery in the existing elderly houses. The provisions to make the floor safe and assist the elderly to lead a comfortable life in the old age were not made. The elderly preferred to have houses with appropriate handles, pulls, latches and locks that were comfortable to use. Feature like Peep holes was felt essential by elderly respondents. The sample desired to avoid provision of thresholds and minor changes in floor level wherever possible, revolving doors and double hung doors.
Major lacuna was cross ventilation in common areas and corridors, and accessible curtains or blind controls for wheelchair users at a height of 2 feet 7 inches to 3 feet 3 inches. The elderly felt essential to have electric fixtures such as television socket, light switches in various rooms at proper reachable height.
The width of the tread, ends of handrails, curved treads, minimum depth at landing of stairs, number of risers in a plight were some of the features of a staircase that were not designed as per standards in most of the houses the elderly were residing. The design of entrance with provision of proper audio and visual contact, smooth walking surfaces, minimum walkway width, provision for firm landing of wheel chair were preferred by the elderly respondents.
Elderly respondents felt it was essential to avoid the installation of steep ramps and limit the length of ramp no higher than 29 feet 6 inches. Mostly the elderly had not expressed a firm view in the design of ramp. The elderly felt essential to have balconies with sufficient area and with provision of railings or balustrades at proper height. Design of corridors was not given importance. No standard guidelines were followed with reference to the width and height of corridor.
The elderly felt essential to provide a telephone with large easy to read keys for preferred numbers, an opening system on the doors which requires only one single type of key, sound proof waste ducts and pipes to limit annoying noises, burglar proof front doors, fuse boxes with automatic circuit breakers.
Education of the respondent was found to be a factor that determined the design of home communication system in the residences. Relatively highly educated elderly respondents were found having technical knowledge and taking the advantage of technology in designing a high quality home communication system. Occupation of the respondent had no influence on the adoption of advanced design guidelines in planning living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, flooring, door hardware, windows, electric fixtures, stairs and lifts, entrance, ramp, balcony, corridor and home communication system.
Family income of the respondent was found to be a factor that influenced design of living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, ramp and home communication system in the elderly houses. Relatively respondents with high family income were found planning as per standard design guidelines. Type of the house had an influence in the adoption of standard design guidelines while planning living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, dining area, windows, electric fixtures, stairs and lifts, entrance, ramps, corridors and home communication system. Ownership of the house had influenced the adoption of standard design guidelines while designing kitchen and dining area.
Socio economic status influenced the adoption of standard design guidelines while planning of living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, dining area, stairs and lifts,
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entrance, ramps and corridors and it had no influence on the adoption of standard design guidelines with reference to the design of flooring, door hardware, windows, electric fixtures, balcony and home communication system.
Type of the house followed by socio economic status of the family and family monthly income were found to be the three major contributing factors towards the design of living room as per the recommended design guidelines. Along with income and socio economic status the occupation of the respondent was found to be a major contributing factor that influenced the design of bathroom in elderly housing.
The major variable that contributed in designing a bed room as per the design guide lines was the ‘Type of the house’. The independent large houses had bed rooms with clearance spaces between beds, space for bed making, space for least used side of bed as per the recommended guidelines. It was evident from the results that the families with relatively high income and high socio economic status designed kitchens with sufficient storage space under counters, shelves located at proper height, provisions for wall hung fixtures and exhaust fans and direct accessibility to various rooms as per the guidelines.
The dining rooms in independent large houses owned by elderly who were employed were found with dining space, space between wall and furniture, space for the person to rise from chair, area of storage units as per design guidelines. The own houses in which the respondents were living for quite few years were found with non-slippery floors in places like bathrooms and corridors. These houses had flooring that contrasts with wall.
The most prominent variable that was contributing towards the design of existing door hardware was type of the house. Next to type of house one fifth of the total contribution was from respondent’s occupation. The other variable that was contributing up to 16.88 per cent was education of the respondent. The single major variable that was contributing towards the design of existing windows was type of the house. The contribution of other variables was negligible. Among all the variables socio economic status of the family alone was the main contributing factor towards the design of existing electric fixtures.
The single major variable that contributed towards the design of existing stairs and lifts was Socio Economic status of the family. The houses that belonged to high socio economic category were found with stairs and lifts. The two major variables that contributed towards the design of existing entrance were socio economic status and family monthly income. The respondents who needed the provision of ramp for the use of wheel chair were found built the ramp. The two major variables that contributed towards the design of balcony were family monthly income and type of the house.
The two major variables that equally and together contributed up to 86.32 towards the design of existing corridor were age of the house and type of the house. Families with high monthly income and living in relatively big houses were found with advanced home communication system. These houses had opening system on the doors which required only one single type of key. Advanced communication devices were not popular among existing houses under the study.
Description
DESIGNING STUDIO APARTMENT
FOR ELDERLY TO
AGE IN PLACE