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1.0 Introduction
As stated by Alfred, H.B., & Robert, J.G.
(1996):
“Universal design is a design philosophy that
includes existing codes and guidelines, but
goes even further than barrier-free or
accessible design standards. Universal design
is meant to improve the lives of all people in
the built environment. In this philosophy,
people of all ages are included.”
It is meant for a design that accepted for all
type of age and condition. Recent studies
have shown that people prefer to age in their
familiar environments, thus guiding designers
to provide a safe and functionally appropriate
environment for ageing people, regardless of
their physical conditions or limitations.
Therefore, designs proposed where human
beings can improve their quality of life by
promoting independence, as well as safety,
usability and attractiveness of the residence.
This literature review may introduce certain
elements that can be applied in order to
design a house for the elderly in specific.
Comparative Housing Design /AUP 4452
2.0 Literature review
Victor, R. (1994). Assisted living housing for
the elderly; design innovations from the
United States and Europe. John Wiley & Sons:
New York.
The purpose in providing assisted living for
elderly are as following:
i. The increasing number of aging people
ii. The increasing costs of long-term care in
home care.
iii. The increasing numbers of technology help
elderly to live independently in their house.
Certain basic qualities were outlined in
provision of residential for elderly and they
are:
i. Appear residential in character – the
assisted living element must portray house
environment.
ii. Recognize the uniqueness of each resident
– treatment plans should be customized
accordingly to their abilities, disabilities
and interests.
iii. Foster independence – the focus of care
should be on self-maintenance with
existence.
iv. Focus on health maintenance, physical
movement and mental stimulation
v. Maintain connections with the
surrounding community – the setting
should integrate rather than isolate the
resident from community.
For the elderly, the two opposing
characteristics of support and challenge
should be addressed in the layout and
specification of wall, ceiling and floor
materials. It has to encourage interaction in
community but at the same time assure the
privacy. The design also must encourage
flexibility of the resident. Sensory stimulation
and opportunity for passive observation are
also important in addition to environments
that utilize landscape materials like natural
light and sage of color. The social interaction
will help to reduce depression and passive
observation helps to stimulate mind and spirit.
The doors and windows also must be easily
opened and manipulated, shelves that can be
reached, fixtures that can safely maneuvered
and activity spaces that can reached easily.

These can hamper the older person’s
independence if they are not properly
addressed as the environment for aged must
recognize the vulnerability of the oldest-old.
The physical environment must not create
barriers that limit choice, control,
independence and autonomy. In another
perspective, it is argued that the design of
environment should provide ways to
challenge physical ability. For example an
open stairs in a convenient and visible location
that can encourage residents to use it for
exercise. This is to stimulate physical, mental
and emotional abilities.
Comparative Housing Design /AUP 4452
Dobkin, I. L., & Peterson, J. M. (1999).
Universal interiors by design; gracious
spaces. McGraw Hill: USA.
The chapter represents the house owned by
an elderly couple. Their house previously did
not match for their needs as an older group of
people. Their circulation, improper scale
furniture, and unsafe conditions were part of
their house’s problems. Hence, they decided
to redecorate the house. Below are some of
the changes in terms of interior design to fit
comfortably their needs as elderly:
i. Reduce the use of furniture
ii. Separate grooming area
iii. Placing the dressing area far from the
sleeping area
iv. Bed facing the room’s entry
v. Placing the toilet at the center part
vi. Locating the mini kitchen near to the
sleeping area
vii. Enlarge the mini kitchen area
viii. Relocate the television at the mini
kitchen area for self contained living
environment
ix. Using adjustable bed
x. Enlarge the toilet to fixed the
wheelchair
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xi. 20-in-deep bench and oversized
shower to permit a portable
wheelchair
xii. Using fixed showerhead and
adjustable hand-held shower in order
to allow a variety bathing position
xiii. Installation of grab bars for safety
purposes
xiv. Adjustable iron board
The new design of the interior made the
couple easy accessible to almost every area
inside the house and the furniture’s is design
in order to larger the space and is construct
based on the suitable scale for older people.
According to the house designer Jean DeLaura
in Dobkin, I. L., & Peterson, J. M. (1999), house
shall be design to meets the needs of all types
of people. She further explained that, the
house shall be more accessible, adaptable,
affordable and attractive at the same time. In
other words, a good house is the house that is
universal. Below are some of the design adapt
by Jean DeLaura:

i. The layout is design for easy Alfred, H.B., & Robert, J.G. (1996). Hospitality
maneuvering design for the graying generation. John Wiley
ii. The size of the stair is extend for & Sons: New York.
easier stepping especially for the
older group As we age, our ability to hear sound becomes
iii. Installation of convenience ramp at less acute. Through appropriate design, it can
the house entry improve the quality of the sound in our
iv. Using flat floor (reduce level change interior environment. To improve
and threshold) communication between people aged of 65
v. Handrails provided at every stairways and above, low frequency background sounds
and ramps should absorbed as much as possible. Speech
vi. U-shape layout at the kitchen to can become less understandable as these
easier the maneuvering for item sounds reverberate within the interior
transferring architecture. Some design considerations are
vii. Increase the height of the toe kicks as listed below:
and decrease depths of the lower
i. Soft acoustical materials can be used
portion of the base cabinets to serve
to absorb low frequency sounds and
for wheelchair user.
to enhance intelligible speech.
ii. Absorption of sound frequencies
depends on the type of material and
the method of installation.
iii. Sound absorption by fibrous material
will depend on the thickness, density
and porosity of the material as well as
its resistance to air flow.
iv. Sound absorbing treatments should
be applied equally on ceilings, floors,
and walls for the best result.
Comparative Housing Design /AUP 4452
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In another aspect, aging vision reduces the
ability of the eye to receive light which results
problem to identify colors. In order to help
improve this in housing design, color
determination of an area in the house can be
based on the following factors:
i. The use or function of the room and
what time it will be used daily.
ii. The desired atmosphere
iii. The light level in the interior and from
the exterior.
iv. Number of people the room will
accommodate.
v. Age range and gender of people that
will be use the room
vi. The health condition of people who
are using that room.
vii. The climatic factors
viii. The main purpose of the color (eg: to
soothe, to induce concentration)
Among the older population, the degree of
brightness and the clarity of color are
important considerations. Contrast between
objects and backgrounds or between objects
and adjacent environments will also affect the
vision of the elderly. It also has close
relationship with lighting. It is important to

reduce glare and improve contrast for elderly
while improving visual acuity. Some actions
that need to consider are:
i. Remove or relocate the light sources
that cause glare.
ii. Alter the reflective materials. For
example, se non-glare glasses over
wall-hanging pictures to control
indirect glare.
iii. Use shielding devices.
iv. Use dimming devices to raise or lower
brightness until acceptable contrast is
achieved.
v. Filter natural daylight penetrating
interior spaces to reduce direct glare.
Comparative Housing Design /AUP 4452
Building design for handicapped and aged
persons. (1992). Council on tall buildings and
urban habitat. McGraw Hill: New York.
The discussion is on the housing design for
high-rise in regards to elderly needs. Some
elements have been highlighted for the high
rise housing development which are:
Elevators: the elevator should be enough to
accommodate at least two persons with
wheelchair besides other residents. There is
often a fear among elderly that the door is
going to before they enter the elevator as
they have slower movement, therefore,
sensors at the bottom side of the elevator can
be installed to give them enough time go in
and out of the elevator.
Hallways: the hallway must be wide so that
two wheelchairs can pass-by comfortably.
Kitchen: the entrance into the kitchen must be
wider to fir those who are using wheelchair.
The kitchen must spacious enough for them to
turn around and level cabinets, sink and knob.
Bathroom: the bathroom is the place where
home accidents occur often. The marble bar
must be avoided at the entrance of the
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bathroom, same goes to the step. Inside, roll-
in shower or bathtub can be provided,
together with seat and bars on the walls.
These are to assist the elderly in the
bathroom.
Emergency communication: this is important
especially those who are living alone. There
should be a button or cord for the elderly to
alert the management or somebody that they
are in danger. In England for instance, devices
have been designed for them to wear around
the neck, which carry a button, if pressed, will
connect them immediately to the local
hospital or police. These are provided free
under the National Health system to those
who are living alone.
Light switches: it is convenient if provided on
the walls compared on the lamps. The height
also must be reachable to the elderly who are
using wheelchair.
Windows and the view: as the elderly cannot
go out often, it is better to provide pleasant
view for them that can be seen from their
home.

Accessible housing by design; universal
design principles in practice. (1997). Steven
Winter Aassociates. McGraw Hill: New York.
The book is a compilation of design from the
architects in regards to universal design.
Certain design are particularly made for the
elderly to assist their daily live.
The independent living homes for the elderly
designed with careful and thorough planning
process (including the measurement of the
occupant’s height, strength and mobility) and
include all the necessities and amenities to
help an elderly to live a full and comfortable
life. For landed house, windows are placed
low and big to allow full views and emergency
egress. Ramp also installed to eliminate steps.
The design for the base of cabinet and
cooktop is open design to allow access space
for a wheelchair user. All low cabinets have
roll-out shelves and the corner aids
accessibility.
For the other house provided, all hallways are
wide for easy maneuverability. Wide doors,
elimination of thresholds, low cabinetry,
tactile and audible cues, slip-resistant
surfaces, task lighting, reinforced walls,
backup power and security systems are all
Comparative Housing Design /AUP 4452
features that allow the elderly to move freely
about their home and to remain independent.
The electrical receptacles, controls and
switches are installed within easy reach. A
strobe light and audible alarm are installed
near the front door to alert the occupants to
fire, telephone or doorbell.
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Kastenberg, E.C. and Chasin, J. (2004).
Housing Options of the Elderly, Elderly
Housing. http://apps.irs.gov/ retrieved on
November 4, 2009.
This particular section of the article talks
about the options for the elderly housing.
As the elderly population is increasing, there
is no doubt that there is an increasing
demand for the need for housing. They
need adequate, low cost, well-designed
facilities that are also easy to maintain.
According to Katenberg and Chasin, when
the seniors are relocated they want to live
as near as possible to their own homes.
They are only happy with the relocation if
other residents have the same interest as
them and if the community or the neighbors
are helpful and friendly enough. Since 1960,
seniors have been moving from their homes
in the cities to rural or suburban areas
which offer a warmer climate and more
recreational opportunities. This has lead to
the development of active senior
communities, apartment and complexes
with medical facilities within the sub urban
areas.

Katenberg and Chasin claims that,
traditional nursing homes are not the only
option for the elderly, and explained several
other alternatives which are available
nowadays. Following are the alternatives
mentioned in this article.
“Seniors Only” complexes
They are apartments, condominiums,
cooperatives and other retirement
communities which offer private dwellings
exclusively designed for the senior citizens.
They do not have medical facilities but
residences are maintenance free with
recreational facilities, with ownership.
Modular Home Communities
These are communities with full time
residents or part-year residents, or residents
who just stay for few months or days. These
types of communities are commonly
referred as mobile home communities. The
lots or mobile units are either leased or
owned by the residents.
Elderly Cottage Housing Opportunity (ECHO)
Housing
Comparative Housing Design /AUP 4452
ECHO housing also known as Granny Flats
are occupied by second family living units or
apartments with a separate entrance, on a
single-family lot, with another family. They
are portable, small homes, with complete
facilities normally built at the back or side
yards of single family house. The idea of this
type of housing is to provide an affordable
housing for someone who prefer to live
alone but needs family support.
Shared Housing
This concept is about sharing the house of
the senior with another person so that they
are not alone and they do not need special
housing facilities. The roommate is need not
necessarily be a another elderly. There are
organizations in charge of arranging these
types of housing based on the need on one
side and abilities to provide on the other.
They do screening time to time to see how
well the sharing is going.
Assisted Living
This type of living offers assistance for the
people living in private dwellings in their
daily lives. However this assistance does not
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include the medical aids. People who offer
assisted living sometimes need to get a
license to do so.
Continuing Care Retirement Communities
(CCRC)
Unlike assisted living, CCR offers the senior
with facilities combined with housing,
services and health care. This allows the
residents to enjoy their private residential
lifestyle independently with continuous
healthcare.
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Facilities, commonly referred as nursing
homes are the most common and most
intensive level of care on the residential
care alternatives Skilled nursing facilities
(SNFs) are equipped to handle individuals
with 24-hour nursing needs, post-operative
recuperation, or complex medical care
demands they also offer assistance for
people who can no longer live
independently such as chronically-ill
individuals. They also need to have license
as they should meet a certain standard in

terms of safety, staffing and care
procedures.
Alzheimer’s Facilities
These facilities are mostly for the early stage
Alzheimer patients. They are
accommodated in a congregate or
independent wing of a multi-level campus.
Senior Day Care Centers
In these centers the types of services varies
from "custodial care" with programs for
stimulation and rehabilitation to day care
providing medical care and procedures.
Senior Short-Term Vacation Housing
These housing offers a ‘try before buying’
option. This allows the individuals to
experience the senior community a distant
location. People who are too delicate for the
rigors of hotels and restaurants can spend
their vacation at a slower pace with needed
care available to them.
Comparative Housing Design /AUP 4452
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3.0 Conclusion However, in another point of view, some
argued that institutionalized home is better
The housing designed for the elderly is for the elderly and listed certain amount of
important for not letting them isolated from choices for them. They believed it helps the
the common community and treated as other elderly to have a better living with care.
entity. This always happens when the elderly So, the choice is up to them whether having
choose to live in care home or the like. The universal design in their home and aging in
design of housing in conclusion must be their independent home or move to the care
universal for everyone and accessible. The home.
elderly are able to live independently, at
home for longer; this can give them a higher
quality of life and sense of well-being; it can
also significantly decrease the sense of being
institutionalized and over-dependent. The
elderly felt that their particular needs were
being addressed and this made them feel
more independent and better about
themselves; greater exchange in the
neighborhood meant that loneliness was less
of an issue.
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4.0 References

Accessible housing by design; universal design

principles in practice. (1997). Steven
Winter Aassociates. McGraw Hill: New
York.

Alfred, H.B., & Robert, J.G. (1996). Hospitality

design for the graying generation. John
Wiley & Sons: New York.

Building design for handicapped and aged

persons. (1992). Council on tall buildings
and urban habitat. McGraw Hill: New
York.

Dobkin, I. L., & Peterson, J. M. (1999).

Universal interiors by design; gracious
spaces. McGraw Hill: USA.

Kastenberg, E.C. and Chasin, J. (2004). Housing

Options of the Elderly, Elderly Housing.
http://apps.irs.gov/ retrieved on
November 4, 2009.

Victor, R. (1994). Assisted living housing for

the elderly; design innovations from the
United States and Europe. John Wiley &
Sons: New York.

Comparative Housing Design /AUP 4452