ELDERLY AND PHYSICALLY DISABLED PEOPLE 34 ELDERLY PEOPLE Iwas noted in the Introduction that most available anthropometric data are related to military populations and, of consequence, are ‘generally restricted in terms of age and sex. The National Health Survey of the U.S. Public Health Service is probably the first large- scale study prepared with respect to clvllan populations and is based on a national sampling of Americans between the ages of 18 {and 79. If Information regarding the civilian population generally ap- pears to be limited, however, anthropometric data for specific seg- ments of the population, such as aged people, is sparser stil When one considers that there are now close to 20 milion Ameri- ‘cans over the age of 65, with the number increasing yearly it be- ‘comes apparent that the need for anthropometric data for this ‘Segment ofthe population is critical. Moreover, the data are essential it we are to respond sensitively In designing the interior spaces in \which elderly people are to function, ‘Some data are available and some conclusions have been drawn. ‘The most significant findings are as folows: 1. Older people of both sexes tend to be shorter than younger peo- ple, To a certain degree, however, the difference may be ac Counted for because the older’ individuals are obviously representative of an earlier ganeration, while recent studies indi- cate that body sizes generally are increasing. It has also been ‘suggested that the decreases might be due to the selective sur- vival of shor, light people—an extremely Interesting speculation. 2. Reach measurements of older people are shorter than those of, younger people. There Is also considerable varlabllty in the de- {fee to which the reach of elderly people is impaired due to the incidence of arthritis and other joint movernent limitations. This is parioulanly true of vertical gip reach. ‘The basic problem with most of the available anthropometric data is the smal size of the group studied. For example, data on “the func tional anthropometry of old men” (Chart 3-1) prepared by Damon and Stoudt" and “the functional anthropometry of elderly women" (Chart 3-2 and Figure 3-1) prepared by D. F. Roberts® were based on 133 subjects and 78 subjects, respectively. Perhaps the best avail- able data, which are in @ percentile form required by the designer, are given in the National Health Survey, which includes data up to ‘age 79. These data are included in Part B.Messurement Wight state ‘Sting height, ret ‘Sting height. norma Trunk aight. ting noe height iting Popitest height, sting pan Span akimbo Forward arm each ‘Shoulderelbow length Etbow-midle finger longth ‘utc popes! ena Foot length lacomial breach dt oe (Chest boat Enow-o-tbow breath, siting hii beac Hip breath siting Kneeo-knee baad, sting Head breadth Face bread Nose breadth Ear ready Hand breadth Foot bret Chest depth dena depth Chest crcumteronc, rest, (host roomterens, Insp. Chest sreumferenes x0, Wait coomferonoe Upper arm circumference Cal cxcumternce, right Cait cumtornce, it i Subseepuar skies (rm) tip svongt, ght (2) Gi sength, fat (2) Number Mean 130, ne ne 13 132 331 11 8 131 490 131 12 13 12 133 12 +30 132 133 19 433 132 132 131 19 132 131 1 od 19 193 18 139 +30 130 106 10 0 13 130 19 we He 5249 96.28 377 sae 2s 29 aso 3868 a2 us 1827 esr 2326 174 498 237 294 1490 War ies i781 1228 1487 307 607 556 187 3 393 958 1088 arsr aaa 3728 3546 1128 1350 faa 228 1128 1618 eae ser sp ExT) 209 vas 26 088 oa 278 te 181 080, 00 096, 025 027 one O19 890 oss 132 087 os 020 023 O18 ox O18 019 o7e 12 298 2a 300 388 tor +9 on 422 676 W739 830 —_____Perconties i ois 225 27 198 194 ea 224 312 134 13 165 210 20 25 a7 22 133 183 99 150 132 73 56 53 13 30 35 19 a4 so 226 a8 28 28 18 ur 58 278 388 om 30 310 208 187 42 a4 a7 135 172 169 28 73 24 20 50 a7 137 186 102 155 135 78 58 52 14 ay 38 82 86 m3 25 320 802 120 19 58 70 42 a0 Tom 124 32 sr 209 bat 163 oe Be 323 14 “a 22 27 70 98 4a 158 108 162 78 58 53 a4 a7, as at 37 8 307 28 2 121 215 67 85 456 2 500 ea a7 34 22 12 os. 957 362 183 185 $0 24 28 ra 102 9 170 118 123 we 20 61 55 18 33 38 96 108 aa a4 382 ta 134 13s 108 155 ea ors ‘0m “68 ea 288 382 243 223 tes ns 73 ber 453 193 198 28 20 53 25 32 78 108 187 182 193 132 164 re 83 58 ie t8 35. a2 108 14 4 2 402 28 148 148 22 ora 182 eo 370 358 2s 228 188 77 379 ara 156 195 28 230 a4 55 28. 33 20 108 189 185 204 135 167 87 84 58 17 38 43 108 132 420 229 far ra 130 182 184 23 190 287 508 aa 703 a2 385 28 24 02 757 308 a4 164 208 Ba ry 58 27 82 na 163 193 210 138 172 tox 85 ce 20 iB 37 a ne 140 460 488 Prd aay ao 162 188 28 242 432 23 78 (char 2, Furtonl tvopomaty oedety man, Frm Daron and Sou “Th Fut Antopomty a Olé Men Hamanwe soo ae res 751 78 weight wees Te 7 1A. Satire with shoes eign 200 77 Sate without shoes «6006 24S 78 8 eye neg standing Sesin 265 78 © acromial height stncng 40-48in 214 78 1 ettow height landing” 96-739 1-89. 78 hoe! hight ‘is Oe 77 ‘ting on a 17-9 hair 42 elbow noight above seat sr e278 vertex hight above seat ser eB bye height above seat, pea a7 78 occiput eight above soat 2.0044 78 1 elght of shower bades above sest se 09 78 1 halghto accomion above seat, wer ha 8 9 poplial eight fom fear iors 08s 78 Fh halght to top of ree om Roce wes Oa? 8 Feito op of mighs above seat +9 (0-90 78 |) stance om ton of knee Io sacl plane oe 88 Stance tom popes! angle o sacral plane wes te 78 1 etance tom heel to scr plane sr Km 78 im wits of the wre 85 78 7 bidetid wath fee | 78 5 horzonal stance fram back of harax to (ped penal, arm horzonta 58 NOT 78 'p_ hotzonal stance tom back of thorax to ‘goed panel arm stag and 1a Shove saat 2508878 ‘stanaing stance om sbdomento grppedpenel am ional west 240 77 1 stance rom abdomen to spp pene hand on 2 tania 1996 0 ast 77 maximum conforable upward reach ner 848 8 { maximom somforable ward reach with ‘thin obstruction eros 3877 ust caying neg at soe zs bar 78 staring hight wih I4-in obstucton 32-430 77 Ww radusofchak ercl, ight hand, am staight 10-29 5577 ‘9% damoter—index tnger 4 ONS 78 rp sametor—micse tnger +0 oI 77 rp stengt 1305tg 420 78 (nat 52 Functonal annvperay of ley women. Fem Raber, "Funconal An repomaty f Een Women," Ergonomics W860) po 2°32. Fre 2-1. gues tuoating boy measurements nscale in Chart 3.2. From Reber, Furcena Atoparty of ety Woman” poromice 31960), 9p. 521-27ee ees (han 9-8, tous of eae by foe Fom Se, a Fre 3.2 PHYSICALLY DISABLED PEOPLE ‘The problem of physically disabled people coping with the man- made environment ig a massive one. The U.S. Department of Health, ‘Education, and Weltare estimated in 1970 that some 69 millon peo- ple in the United States alone are physically limited® Chart 3-3 Shows a distribution of disabilities by category compiled by the Michi- {gan Center for a Bartle-Free Environment from the sources ind Caled. I underscores the magnitude of the problem on a national basis. On a cosmopolitan basi, figures place the worldwide phys- ically disabled population at 400 milion, of which over 75 percent are left to their own devices. ‘To solve all the problems ofall the physically disabled people with respect to their interface with physical barriers is obviously an intor- tistipinary undertaking that transcends the scope of this book. However, the anthropometris involved can be introduced here; they ‘will be explored futher in Part C. 133 CHAIRBOUND PEOPLE ‘There are no large-scale data on the anthropometrics of chairbound people. Such a study would be quite ficult in view ofthe many var bios involved: the types of dsabiltes, the limbs or segments ofthe bodies Involved, the extent of paralysis, the degree of muscle dys function, the cumulative effect on overall imb mobility due to chair ‘confinement, etc. All would have to be considered. For study pur- poses, therefore, the assumption has been made that where limb Frobilly has not been impaired, the range of movement would ap- proximate that of able-bodied people. Itis, however, important that in determining appropriate reach, clear- ‘ance, and other dimensions, the individual and the wheelchair be ‘Viewed together. This requires some knowledge of the anatomy of the wheelchair itself, Figure 3-2 provides some basic and useful data (on this. With regard to the anthropomettics involved, there are many dia ‘rams in circulation ilustrting body measurements of men and ‘Women in wheelchairs. Caution should be exercised in interpreting, ‘and subsequently applying, the data indicated. In many instances, the teach dimensions are qualified to indicate a so-called average ‘dimension. This notion of average was discussed in Section 22 and proved to be fallacious. If reach is a critical factor in the particular Sesion itis essential to base the design on those body dimensions Fepresentative ofthe lower range of the population, not the average. ‘Consequently, the Sth percentile arm reach data should be used. the design were based on the so-called average reach, half of the ‘chairbound users simply could not function. Figure 33, Chart3-4, and Figure 3-4 illustrate the anthropometrcs of hairbound people. What should be noted, however is that most ‘wheelchairs are not built to keep the body in an erect poston. Act ‘ordingly, Body parts are not strictly vertical or horizontal. In describ- ing the geometries involved, Dr. Herman L. Kamenetz states: From this imagined posture only the ankles keep their position of 90 de- ‘ees, The laps are lifted by about 15 degrees so thatthe knees assumet TF ; ; : 08 iff : : [yen ser | o lgecrcccegiiireeeenesd]— [geediipee 2a) Seaeaen ee cceee re acter Rees rere sen eves eer WENN QER Smarr eae eae ee TURNING RADIUS BASED ON Tooxne One WHEEL aND ‘ToRBENG THE OTHER wi (eexeo wee. ALTERNATE WHEELCHAIR ‘TURNING RADI gres-2 gy wets dersns. ‘he amarcan Nationa Sindee rate (@XG1 Pw. Atte, Rove ‘G71 The mansreents nats, Iowan, ay wh mode and marae: ‘on and ath enor sho be ‘ease vial. The arth of he Chai parlor mpatene es © Serine the unig vc. sce "a ote wen eaalsing cearencos, 10 Stow tert prtusin te eee beyond me age of test NI orene at a alana mace ‘iredehi of usr mt oraucton ‘ae wrecenar ung rea=p pe 3-3. Anivopometice a ehaund pope. Te even showing Use and Sui indcnoe sone ane mse eel aivepemste messes fo bah men ul omen Al enc amenaone ave Sased an 25 peconte dla 0 acoormocse ‘Mowe usr thst ody zens former at sie fer Doy 28 (Tina han in mao he fle Ganson bo ed or fe deogno al reach Shuster. Dinansane mohing sleranc problomsae based on 879 gece ta ‘Sto the male bays gar, he menos fr man sho ee 1 sty farance roqerenta. Te tre ana daa were soapld fm Goss’ Deng Tern Obl, 1969, an woe asad on meaterarts bine or Bish ans Deacon sue (ALE FEMALE in__em _in__om AG225 198.1 S675 1444 Bis a2 75 4S leer 222 70 178 lows 470 5 419 leas7s 684 200 sad lea7s 700 260680, laoo as t90 aaa lars 1208 470 104 Ise25 1400 S824 1952 Conan 2-4, Data szampanyng ieeoccenaenaasSSbccagdecson: Fae 2-4 Antroomaties of chaound pce. Te ont vw, showing usr ene ‘ine alone aoe of te mae ees ebyparere meus. Te uc8 ‘Zone tral orzo each ansians wh th ar exended oes 26 {houder hgh wes ha AmereanNatinm Sundar et (ANSI Pub. AN? evaded 127) shold bo rote at drawer valle wi repr exo¢ pee peraie youn.Face 9-8. Cues. The mode tant sped fe user ie pedo sian by tho sno cues, Changes o een ar oralson up w down sae re oneal ‘Gat ann sas shatore cost preted Uo of he ses ower gue 3-7, Canes. Canes nay te ized by sonsoe whos Bind, win hasan inured Ib, who mg besa or host of acters soch a varying apes of tang eh, arora pay, lbwes mull screcs, and le aides. Te Dod ‘oc howere, cause fs nai of fh Sania, nul equ a asiru space \Grauanc, Tne ade and ent vows othe user eat the Saurtenslowarces reed ue 2-6, Waker. Tha cera 6 (ted by a vor oolong De aid t= Mfr reve easy dened by th rent rue te eo an mated ‘opaaion. The hot vw of he eis mami 2819) oF pe 8-8, Ssong-oye dog. ivan ne ‘nan veils imine proce ‘ress vor rane sowance.an angle of about 105 degrees, and the back recines by about 10 de- ‘grees, which results in an angio atthe hip joints of about 100 dogroes. Finally, the Body being keptin thi relationship ofits pats to.one another, ‘the entice chat is ag though it were tilted backward by about 5 degrees, so that the seat ls 5 degrees rom the horizontal, the legs 20 degrees, land the back 15 degrees from the verical Hf the user's impairment permits him or her to assume an erect posi- tion, the incline of the chalr back notwithstanding, standard ar- ‘thropometric data for arm reach would be adequate, given the nature ofthe task and degree of ft involved, however, arm reach is based on the back being in aninctined posi- tion, 1° from the vertical, the standard anthropometiic arm reach ‘data would have to be modified accordingly. It should be noted that ‘measurement of standard arm reach s taken withthe back erect and with the subject seated on a horizontal plane. 3.4 AMBULANT DISABLED PEOPLE For ambulant disabled people, it is necessary to consider those users functioning with crutches (Figure 3.5), walkers (Figure 3.6), ‘canes (Figure 3.7), and seeing-eye dogs (Figure 3.8). All these aids become, in essence, a functional part of the individual's body. Ac- ‘cordingly, both aid and user should in almost every instance be Viewed a3 a single entity. For design purposes itis useful to know something not only of the anthropometry involved, but of the total ‘Spatial considerations.