Abstract
Worldwide, growth in the older population creates a pressing need to develop supportive environments that enhance quality of life as people age. Too often, built environments present barriers and challenges to older adults that compromise independent living and adversely affect health and life outcomes. Designing homes, buildings, and neighborhoods with older adults, through exercises in participatory or co-design, could help ensure that environments are better able to facilitate healthy aging. However, while it is potentially advantageous to involve this age group in environmental design decisions, doing so can be difficult. Analysis of and guidance on effective ways to involve older adults in these activities could make the challenge easier. With this aim in mind, this article provides critical perspectives on eight “less traditional” engagement techniques—walking interviews, photovoice, photo-elicitation, Talking Mats®, participatory mapping, drawing, model-making, and the “Design Fair”. Insights into the strengths and limitations of these techniques, gained from observation of their use in participatory design activities, as well as feedback collected from older co-design participants, are presented. The article concludes by offering a number of practical recommendations for those interested in designing age-friendly homes and neighborhoods with older people.
Highlights
Worldwide, growth in the older population [1] creates a pressing need for “age-friendly”environments that optimize opportunities for social and economic participation, health, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age [2]
We organized a series of participatory design events across the United Kingdom (UK) over a three-year period
The Manchester co-design workshop and design review focused on developing environmental designs for a more age-friendly district of central Manchester, the Hackney Wick events focused on designing a more age-friendly Hackney Wick, and the Kirkwall events focused on designing a more age-friendly Kirkwall and surrounding island environment
Summary
Growth in the older population [1] creates a pressing need for “age-friendly”. Environments that optimize opportunities for social and economic participation, health, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age [2]. The goal of creating age-friendly environments is a strategic objective in the World Health Organization’s [3] Global Strategy and Action Plan on. The significance attached to creating age-friendly environments points to the scale of the problems we face with regard to our current environments. Built environments present barriers and challenges to older adults that adversely affect their quality of life, opportunities for independent living, health, and life outcomes [2,3].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
