W & K Department of Architecture Sint-Lucas - Agata Guzik & Jordana Tomé DESIGN FOR OLDER USERS Felicia Huppert - University of Cambridge

SPATIAL ABILITY INTRODUCTION AGEING PROCESS PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SENSORY DISABILITIES ATTENTION & CONCENTRATION LEARNING & MEMORY CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION Longer Life - Older population CHANGES IN SOCIETY Working Life Family StructureDesign INDEPENDENCE AND QUALITY CONTRIBUTE TO A BETTER FUTURE <<

AGEING PROCESS PHYSICAL DISABILITIES Our maximum capabilities begin to decline after 20 years old Muscle strength (specially after 50’s) ex. rising from a low chair, climbing stairs… Flexibility restoring equilibrium – more tendency to fall less of elasticity – affects way of walking ex. hanging out washing, reaching the back… Influences sex height weight <<

AGEING PROCESS PHYSICAL DISABILITIES - ensure that age-related impairments in physical capabilities are not disabling - attention to changes in bodily dimensions - design for everyday objects (sight for short people, easy movements to achieve everything) - heights of products should be adjustable << IMPLICATIONS ON DESIGN - design shouldn’t avoid all physical demands

AGEING PROCESS SENSORY DISABILITIES VISION IMPAIRMENT HEARING IMPAIRMENT TASTE, SMELL AND TOUCH IMPAIRMENT <<

AGEING PROCESS SENSORY DISABILITIES VISION IMPAIRMENT - lighting levels at home, inside cars and in public spaces – higher level of illumination required by older adults, but not excessive lighting Disability to see detail Focus on near objects Discriminate differences between levels of contrast Adapt to changes in brightness IMPLICATIONS ON DESIGN - attention to see details, objects - visual displays should use appropriate font size and type, adequate word and line spacing - displays should be simple – priority to important information - graphic symbols should be used as an adjunct to words - surfaces shouldn't be reflective, but brightness and contrast high (blue-violet-green combinations should be avoided) - stairs with clearly marked edges << Opacity and discoloration

AGEING PROCESS SENSORY DISABILITIES HEARING IMPAIRMENT - audible signals should be adjustable where possible Reduced sensitivity to sound (especially high frequencies) Reduced understanding of spoken words Reduced ability to discard different sounds together IMPLICATIONS ON DESIGN - combination of audio and visual signals increase the communication - ambient sound produced by the surrounding should be minimized to avoid auditory confusion Reduce the ability to communicate - important messages should be in lower frequency Causes of hearing loss - age - working in environmental noise: construction sites, road works, factory machinery - loud music <<

AGEING PROCESS SENSORY DISABILITIES TASTE, SMELL AND TOUCH IMPAIRMENT - the appreciation of food is enhanced by attention to its appearance Perception of taste is related to smell and texture Reduced with age experience with touch ex. pressure, pain, heat/cold Influences age: we start losing our sensibility of taste, which is caused by loss of smell sensibility IMPLICATIONS ON DESIGN - dangerous smells (burning, gas leakage) should be signaled where possible by strong messages from several sense modalities - textile and other surfaces should take account of the diminished tactile sensitivity of elderly people <<

ATENTION & CONCENTRATION The ageing process is associated with impairments in our ability to pay attention to the world around us. The ability to sustain attention and to shift our attention between incoming sources of information decreases as we get older. The most dramatic change is in our ability to do two or more things at a time. ex. speaking while driving, reading and listen to the radio, following signs and listening to announcements at train stations or airport terminals. <<

Also decline significantly with age. ex. visual synthesis, discriminating a figure from its background (even when color and brightness contrast are good), and matching complex spatial patterns such as faces, all become more difficult with advancing age. Spatial orientation is also affected, the ability to find one’s way around a new environment by following a map. SPATIAL ABILITY Compared to younger people, other adults tend to have more difficulty on constructional tasks such as assembling shapes, drawing objects or copying designs. <<

Memory for recent events is more affected than memory from remote events, and this is one reason why very elderly people may dwell on the past. ex. recalling information (street address) is far more difficult than recognizing the information when it is presented. There are two types of memory task with which older individuals have particularly difficulty LEARNING & MEMORY Remembering context: impaired memory for context refers to the common observation that older adults may remember the content of information (a fact, a story, a joke) but not remember the source of the information (who told it to them, whether they saw it or heard it). An extension of this is that elderly people may not remember whether they actually saw an event taking place, or only heard a report of it. Remembering to carry out an intended action: prospective memory, remembering to carry out an action. In the absence of a reminder, older people are far more likely than younger people to forget to perform an action, such as posting a letter, keeping an appointment or taking medication. <<

ATENTION & CONCENTRATION / SPATIAL ABILITY / LEARNING & MEMORY - very rapid presentation of information should be avoided, since older adults process information more slowly than younger adults IMPLICATIONS ON DESIGN - The need to make rapid decisions should be avoided - verbal information should be grammatically simple and the relevant messages made explicit. Written information is more readily absorbed than aural information - Spatial complex information should be avoided, both for comprehension and performance - Designs which impose as high demand on memory should be avoided, such as activities involving a sequence of operations which need to be memorized <<

CONCLUSION Well, in spite of this, stereotyped of older people do not apply to the senior citizens of today. Today’s older people are fitter, healthier, wealthier and more independent than ever before. DESIGN ROLE GOOD DESIGN CONTRIBUTE TO A HEALTHIER AND INDEPENDENT LIFE Inclusive design as a crucial role to play in maintaining their health, capability and independence Inclusive design can also minimize the difficulties encountered by those who have impairments, thereby preventing them from being disabled by their impairments <<