Architecture for the Elderly: Through the lens of Multisensory Design

Name: Muskaan Rampal

Roll Number: A/3137/2018
Group: B
Name Of Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Jaya Kumar
Name of Guide: Ar. Rashmi Tandon
Title Of Submission : Introduction, Research Question, Aims, Objectives, Scope and
Limitations and Literature Review
Date of Submission: 1st September 2022

INTRODUCTION:
The world's population is currently undergoing two historically significant demographic
shifts – rapid ageing and urbanization. As a result, the number of older people living in
urban environments is growing dramatically. As these two major demographic shifts
continue to affect many parts of the world, ageing and health in urban settings are
increasingly becoming a priority issue in both developed and developing countries.

RESEARCH QUESTION: With the world experiencing a dramatic shift in the

demographic trends, what role can architects play in redefining spaces for the welfare of
the aging population through multisensory design?

KEYWORDS:Active Aging, elderly, Housing, physical and mental wellness, barrier-free

architecture, Multi-sensory design, CPTED

AIM:
The ageing of the population has implications for policy, service delivery, and long-term
planning in areas as diverse as transportation, health, housing, education, and
employment. The aim of this research is to understand the problems being faced by the
elderly and provide architectural soluti
can play an important role in informing better policy and planning for this ageing
population, thereby improving the lives of older people across the island of Ireland.

OBJECTIVES:
● What are
● To Understanding what is Active Ageing and understanding various parameters

SCOPE:
LIMITATIONS:
LITERATURE REVIEW:
Our world is quickly aging, and the number of people over the age of 65 is increasing at
an unprecedented rate. In today’s time, there are 703 million people aged 65 or older, a
number that is projected to reach 1.5 billion by 2050. The world’s senior population is
growing in absolute and relative terms, according to a recent analysis, with the fastest
growth rates in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
(Our world is growing older: UN DESA releases new report on aging | UN DESA |
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2022)

Our old age is the result of our environment and the choices we have made. According
to the WHO (World Health Organization), six items influence how we will age. These
determinants are social, economic, behavioral, personal, available social and health
services, and the physical environment. We can reach old age as active individuals or
as having an advanced level of frailty that compromises our functional abilities. Keeping
the elderly population healthy and active is a necessity and not a luxury.
(https://www.archdaily.com/900713/how-to-design-for-senior-citizens)
However, the parameters used in designing any built environment are based on normal,
healthy, and active human beings. The architects as well as the end users are just
unaware that all of us will age sooner or later. In recent years we have all witnessed a
spectacular improvement in medical technology which resulted in a change in world
demographics dramatically. (DESIGN & ENVIRONMENT FOR ELDERLY, 2022)
As populations age, there is an increasing need to ensure that this segment of the
population stays active and healthy. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines
ageing as a gradual and irreversible process that involves changes in tissues and body
functions over time. The ageing population will increasingly need special attention, in
order to reach not only an increase in life expectancy, but above all, so that they can
live with more quality, in line with the tenets of active ageing.

When it comes to designing for this group, architects have a whole new role to play.
Architects have found themselves confronted with new and intriguing design difficulties
for seniors, and they are inventing fresh blueprints that are modern and ingenious.
(How Architects Design For An Aging Population, 2022)
With the increasing worldwide population of older adults, interventions that directly
affect their physical, psychological, and emotional well-being are needed to help them
keep or regain their independence and autonomy.
Active ageing is the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and
security in order to enhance quality of life as people age.
The word “active” refers to continuing participation in social, economic, cultural, spiritual
and civic affairs, not just the ability to be physically active or to participate in the labor
force. Older people who retire from work and those who are ill or live with disabilities
can remain active contributors to their families, peers, communities and nations.
In an age-friendly city, policies, services, settings and structures support and enable
people to age actively by:
• recognizing the wide range of capacities and resources among older people;
• anticipating and responding flexibly to ageing-related needs and preferences;
• respecting their decisions and lifestyle choices;
• protecting those who are most vulnerable; and
• promoting their inclusion in and contribution to all areas of community life.
Active ageing depends on a variety of influences or determinants that surround
individuals, families and nations. They include material conditions as well as social
factors that affect individual types of behavior and feelings . All of these factors, and the
interaction between them, play an important role in affecting how well individuals age.
Many aspects of urban settings and services reflect these determinants and are
included in the characteristic features of an age-friendly city.

The house we live in and where we live can have a major impact on our physical and
mental health; this is particularly true for groups of people who tend to spend more time
in the home, which means older adults. (Center for Ageing Research and Development
in Ireland, 2013). The standard and suitability of older people’s accommodation is vital
to their quality of life and is a key factor in their capacity to take care of themselves or to
be cared for at home should they become dependent
Several aspects of housing design are thought to influence older people's ability to live
comfortably at home. In general, it is important for older people to live in
accommodation that is built of appropriate materials and is structurally sound; has even
surfaces; has an elevator if it is multi-level housing; has adequate bathroom and kitchen
facilities; is large enough to move around in; has adequate storage space; has
passages and doorways large enough to accommodate a wheelchair; and is
appropriately equipped to meet the ambient environmental conditions.
To address and accommodate the needs of the aged, it is firstly crucial to understand
the problems being faced by them. The issues faced by the elderly are categorized
under the following aspects.
Ownership
Generally, housing affects people’s health at several levels. Housing tenure is a
structural variable; houses are usually the largest capital asset owned by families and
this wealth can be used to generate a stream of income, in addition to salary, wages
and benefits.
Renters are more likely to be poor, whether from a private landlord or a social housing
agency, though in some cases they may be trading off more income for less wealth.
There may also be a cultural impact of tenure choices on mental health. People in
England generally aspire to home ownership, and renting is viewed as a temporary
measure. Renting permanently is more unusual, and may be interpreted as a sign of
failure (particularly renting in the public sector). Those who owned a home in the study
had better mental health, as do most people, and this effect grew stronger as they aged.
However, in the most recent wave of the cohort, housing quality and financial problems
became more important in explaining older people's health than tenure.
Social Relationships
The quality and extent of social relationships and participation in social activities
influence the well-being and quality of life of older adults (8-10). The availability of social
support, social networks, and social activities can also affect health and functioning (11,
12). The physical environment and geography of the home environment can enable or
hinder physical activity. Because physical activity is associated not only with
independent mobility, but also with general autonomy and some degree of control over
daily life, research on the health and well-being of older adults takes into account the
physical realities of their living environment.
Affordability
Older persons experience another very different category of housing-related problems
when they have physical or cognitive limitations that make it difficult for them to conduct
their usual lifestyles, take care of themselves, or maintain their dwellings without the
help of others. Older persons may find that they have significantly less disposable
income if they incur out of pocket costs for home- and community-based care and
health care expenses, in particular prescription medicine costs. Those on fixed incomes
may find that paying for these expenses results in their once tolerable housing costs
becoming a new burden, and in the case of older homeowners, make it difficult for them
to afford their dwelling’s maintenance, upkeep, and upgrading costs.
Security
Researchers have identified the elderly population as being more vulnerable to crime
than other age groups because they are socially isolated, tend to live in urban areas,
depend on public transportation, and follow predictable behavior patterns. The physical
and mental weaknesses caused by old age also contribute to the visibility of a potential
victim. Other theories claim that the elderly only become vulnerable to crime when they
leave the protection of their homes, exposing weaknesses to persons with criminal
intent.
Burglary, robbery, and fraud are the crimes most frequently committed against the
elderly. Older individuals placed in extended care facilities may be physically abused or
defrauded of personal possessions by staff members. The failure of family and friends
to visit patients frequently not only causes emotional suffering but also permits abuse to
continue. Fear of crime is a major problem for the elderly and has increased over the
last decade.
Most prevention activities include public education, neighborhood watches, improved
external lighting, provision of escort services, home security inspections by police, and
public information on fraud schemes.
Physical Environment
The physical environment of the home can amplify the effects of these physical and
cognitive limitations. The design features and general physical conditions of a home and
its location in relation to everyday needs can create new obstacles or hazardous
environments for older people with disabilities to lead normal lifestyles. Potential
impacts include: Car and bus routes may become unusable, making access to daily
community needs very difficult; Carpets can be a walking hazard Use of stoves can be
dangerous or fatal Bathroom showers or toilets may be difficult or impossible to use.
Maintenance
Being unable to maintain one’s home is a major barrier for some older people. In
Cancún, older people say they are unable to make repairs owing to the cost involved. In
Melbourne, they are likewise concerned about costs of maintenance and suggest that
the local municipality provide a home maintenance service for a nominal fee. In Rio de
Janeiro, the high cost of condominium maintenance fees is considered to be a barrier,
although it is pointed out that it is possible to sublet condominiums to assist with the
cost of the maintenance fees.
Community and family connections
Familiar surroundings, whereby people feel part of the local community, contribute to
the age-friendliness of a city. For this reason, older people are reluctant to move. In
Udine, older people mention they have a kind of “psychological safety” in their
environment. In Tripoli, older people highlight the importance of their neighbors. In
Dundalk, service providers recognize the need to locate new homes close to where
older people have lived in order to retain links with family and the community. In Himeji,
concern is expressed that older people lose their connection with the community when
they move to another facility.
There are now many different types of senior housing in various parts of the world, but
regardless of cultural and social differences, all of these new models have the same
goal: to support ageing in place and independent living. Some of the models also aim to
increase reciprocity and mutual assistance.
Aging in place (AiP) has emerged as a global policy goal. The goal of AiP is to ensure
that older people can continue to live in their homes and familiar neighborhoods without
having to relocate due to health issues or care needs. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), it means that by providing appropriate services and assistance, it
is possible to support older people's desire and ability to maintain relatively independent
living arrangements within the community, either in their current home or one that is
more suitable to their current life situation.
With ageing, the ability to navigate in the physical environment safely starts to weaken.
This often leads to increased confusion, anxiety and fear, which eventually may affect
the elderly’s desire to leave their homes and perform basic activities independently.
An “age-friendly city” is an inclusive and accessible community environment that
optimizes opportunities for health, participation and security for all people, in order that
quality of life and dignity are ensured as people age. More specifically, in an age-
friendly city, policies, services, settings and structures support and enable people to age
well by:
• recognizing the wide range of capacities and resources among older people;
• anticipating and responding flexibly to ageing-related needs and preferences;
• respecting older people’s decisions and lifestyle choices;
• protecting those who are most vulnerable; and
• promoting older people’s inclusion in, and contribution to, all areas of community
life
Calmenson (37) states four criteria, named as “the four A’s” of universal design, as
follows: accessibility, adaptability, aesthetics, and affordability. Accessibility enables a
person to fully utilize the entire space, whether they have failed vision, are pregnant or
use a wheelchair. Adaptability is important especially when the current or future
residents plan to live in a house for many years, thereby ‘aging in place’. Aesthetics
refers not only to making a universally designed environment beautiful, but also to
making it helpful without appearing different or utilitarian. Affordability promotes an idea
that an adaptable home can be built for the same cost if it is properly designed at the
beginning.
As one grows older, they gradually lose a lot of abilities in daily life activities. Many
chronic diseases and disabilities become more prevalent as people get older. This
situation has an impact on how elderly individuals interact with their surroundings. They
may struggle to move around (mobility deficits), manipulate objects (dexterity deficits),
and receive accurate information from others (sensory deficits). (2022)
Multisensory stimulation in older persons is an effective practice that helps to train the
mind and motor skills through elements that stimulate the senses of the people.
However, the majority of architecture is designed for the eye of the beholder and tends
to neglect the nonvisual senses of hearing, smell, touch, and even taste. (2022)
Our understanding and experience of the built environment primarily revolve around
multisensory, emotional, and symbolic modalities of communication with the built
environment. The immediacy of people's multisensory and affective experiences can be
tapped into, through architecture. Contemporary urban environments are often either
sensory overwhelming or depleting resulting in physical, mental and emotional stress.
Furthermore, given the decrease in sensory, motor, and cognitive functions
accompanied by aging, meaningful and active conversation with all environmental
stimuli is crucial in mediating urban experience and, ultimately, molding the overall well-
being of people of all ages. (Studying Multi-Sensory Neighborhoods and Aging-Friendly
Design: Methodological Propositions | ScholarBank@NUS, 2022)
The main premise in this study is that passive and non-integrated ageing support
through the provision of healthcare and eldercare facilities or barrier-free design may
not be sufficient for new generations of the elderly. Current planning and design
practices do not fully leverage on the potential of housing neighborhoods to become
enabling means for building up physical and mental capacities at different stages of
ageing that could thereby promote walkability and inter-generational social interaction,
inclusion and care. Therefore, the agenda for new neighborhood design that is sensitive
and supportive to all ages needs to include a more in-depth and holistic understanding
of multi-sensorial urban experience. With an aim to discuss the role and capacity of
multi-sensory approaches to design and planning of aging-friendly neighborhoods, this
research outlines the process of developing an urban design framework that sets multi-
sensory experience as a key means of documenting and guiding place-making
practices for diverse and active elderly communities.

Designs to Aid Mobility

Mobility is one of the bigger challenges that designers face. In order to make a home
more accessible, architects are creating designs that are stair-free; designs with larger
hallways or more open floor plans; designs with wider doorways; designs with no-step
entries; designs with lower sinks and safety showers & bathtubs, and even designs with
wireless video monitoring so that relatives can catch falls or trouble.

Lighting
As people age, they experience a plethora of vision problems from macular
degeneration, neuro-degeneration and reduced retinal illuminance (essentially, smaller
pupils and a thicker eye lens cause everything to appear less vivid and bright). Seniors
have a whole other idea of what is attractive and functional when it comes to optimal
lighting. Seniors prefer light sources that are shielded with a shade as it tones down on
harsh glare, and they prefer overall ambient light versus dramatic high-contrast lighting.
Most importantly, high-quality light is needed throughout the home—LED or fluorescent
light bulbs are probably best, and large windows are a must. Overall, seniors need more
light to make their homes functional. The home should be well-lit along the walls,
ceilings, hallways and stairs— ensuring unobstructed views and optimal safety.

Color Designs For The Elderly

Colors used within a home can actually help improve a seniors visibility.High contrast
colors can really help someone with poor eyesight—For example, a darker color on the
bathroom walls allows for a senior to easily see the white toilet seat or white porcelain
sink.Color also affects mood. Seniors can become depressed or lonesome as they
begin to feel shut-off from the outside world. Soft pinks and greens can help you feel at
peace, while red and orange can improve energy levels. The senior population is
readying to double over the next 25 years, so modified home design that improves
quality of life will be something on every architect's radar. Architects need to design for
the aging population with inventive ideas that aid in mobility and ease of use.Through
proper lighting, designs that optimize mobility, and remodeling plans that make a home
functional—seniors can happily age in place throughout their retirement years.

In order to assist cities to become more age-friendly and to facilitate mutual learning
and support, the WHO established the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and
Communities (GNAFCC) in 2010. The GNAFCC connects cities and communities which
share a commitment to become more age-friendly. The network’s objective is to
facilitate the exchange of information and best practices, provide technical support and
training, and help cities ensure that interventions are appropriate, sustainable and cost
effective.

REFERENCES
● 2022. [online] Available at:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325452622_Design_of_a_Multisensor
y_Room_for_Elderly_People_with_Neurodegenerative_Diseases> [Accessed 18
June 2022].
● 2022. [online] Available at:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/343156040_Multi-
sensory_experience_design_analysis_on_elderly_toy_products> [Accessed 18
June 2022].
● 2022. [online] Available at:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256199308_Involving_the_elderly_in_
the_design_process_a_participatory_design_model_for_usability_safety_and_att
ractiveness> [Accessed 18 June 2022].
● American Academy of Arts & Sciences. 2022. Global Population Aging: Facts,
Challenges, Solutions & Perspectives. [online] Available at:
<https://www.amacad.org/publication/global-population-aging-facts-challenges-
solutions-perspectives> [Accessed 18 June 2022].
● Archsd.gov.hk. 2022. [online] Available at:
<https://www.archsd.gov.hk/media/reports/practices-and-guidelines/
20190326_5501_Elderly-friendly%20Design%20Guidelines_FINAL.pdf>
[Accessed 18 June 2022].
● Hfm Magazine.com. 2022. Five design elements to engage the senses of senior
patients. [online] Available at: <https://www.hfmmagazine.com/articles/2320-five-
design-elements-to-engage-the-senses-of-senior-patients> [Accessed 18 June
2022].
● MYMOVE. 2022. How Architects Design For An Aging Population. [online]
Available at: <https://www.mymove.com/home-inspiration/architectural/how-
architects-design-for-an-aging-population/> [Accessed 18 June 2022].
● Scarano Architect. 2022. Designing for an Aging Population. [online] Available at:
<https://scaranoarchitect.com/designing-for-an-aging-population/> [Accessed 18
June 2022].
● Scholarbank.nus.edu.sg. 2022. Studying Multi-Sensory Neighborhoods and
Ageing-Friendly Design: Methodological Propositions | ScholarBank@NUS.
 [online] Available at: <https://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/187620>
[Accessed 18 June 2022].
● Theseus.fi. 2022. [online] Available at:
<https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/15007/thesis%20viviana
%20piipponen.pdf?sequence=1> [Accessed 18 June 2022].
● Un.org. 2022. Our world is growing older: UN DESA releases new report on
ageing | UN DESA | United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
[online] Available at:
<https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/our-world-is-growing-
older.html#:~:text=Our%20world%20is%20rapidly%20 growing,reach
%201.5%20billion%20by%202050> [Accessed 18 June 2022].
● OLD AGE SOLUTION. 2022. DESIGN & ENVIRONMENT FOR ELDERLY.
[online] Available at:
<https://www.oldagesolutions.org/design-environment/design-environment-for-
elderly/> [Accessed 18 June 2022].
● 2022. [online] Available at:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254213727_Involving_the_Elderly_in_
the_Design_Process> [Accessed 18 June 2022].
● 2022. [online] Available at:
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325452622_Design_of_a_Multisensor
y_Room_for_Elderly_People_with_Neurodegenerative_Diseases> [Accessed 18
June 2022].
● Scholarbank.nus.edu.sg. 2022. Studying Multi-Sensory Neighborhoods and
Ageing-Friendly Design: Methodological Propositions | ScholarBank@NUS.
[online] Available at: <https://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/187620>
[Accessed 18 June 2022].
●