Designing Criteria for Storage Spaces in Old Age Homes in India

Abstract

The study was conducted in two regions of Uttarakhand State of India with an objective of evaluating the dimensions of storage facilities in old age homes and to determine whether these type of storage facilities are well designed and promote good posture by taking into account the dimensions of elderly people. Anthropometrics data were collected from twenty percent of total (six males and six females) from one old age home. The dimensions were measured for three different types of storage facilities prevalent in old age homes. Finally, the anthropometric measures of the elderly and the storage dimensions were compared in order to identify any incompatibility between them. The data indicate a mismatch between the elderly body dimensions and the storage facilities available to them. Elderly females had problems in reaching the top shelf of the cupboard (5th percentile female shoulder height was 117.75 cm and the average maximum height of cupboard was 186 cm.) and both the sexes needed redesigning of lower shelves of storage (95th percentile male standing knuckle height from floor was 62-65 cm). The recommended designing values for storage above shoulder height are 117.75 cm, shelf height 128.87 cm, lower shelves 62-65 cm, and optimal heights of base unit surfaces for elderly men 217.5 cm and women 173.08 cm. This finding call for the attention of all architects, engineers, residential designers, builders, developers, and agencies who are engaged in planning; building housing intended to be occupied by the elderly.