The Design of Local-Authority Rental Housing for the Elderly That Improves Their Quality of Life

Abstract

Abstract:As the population ages, the demand for suitable rental housing will increase. Suitable housing means housing that can accommodate those impairments that typically correspond with ageing. This paper explores the quality of life (QoL) requirements of those elderly with high-care needs who live in rental housing. Using a qualitative case study approach, it examines the living experiences of six elderly people who need assistance and are living in local-authority rental housing in New Zealand. The themes of QoL were identified from the literature and related to the larger themes of; 1. Activities and independence, 2. Sense of control, 3. Privacy, 4. Relationships, 5. Quality of care, and 6. Comfort. The survey consisted of a detailed documentation of the physical environment, followed by interviews with and full-day observations of the residents and their caregivers. The study finds that the design of housing that improves their QoL requires solutions to accommodate the various conflicting needs for their QoL that include those derived from the diversity in the user's preferences and impairments. In the design of rental housing, there is greater need for additional or reorganized space to accommodate caregivers and visitors, maintain residents' independence, privacy, and other aspects important for their QoL.

Parameters for assessing housing quality for the elderly: a literature review

“…Os aspectos comportamentais/psicológicos identificados foram quantificados e descritos na Tabela 3, que destaca a questão da percepção de qualidade habitacional e situação habitacional. O conceito mais abordado nos estudos analisados foi o de Qualidade de Vida (QV ou QoL), sendo citado na maior parte das pesquisas (BAKKER;IOFEL;LACHS, 2004;BRAUBACH;POWER, 2011;COOMANS;HEYLIGHEN, 2011;CUTLER, 2007;FERRIS, GLICKSMAN;KLEBAN, 2016;FRIESEN et al, 2016;GOMES et al, 2017;TORRES et al, 2008;KUBOSHIMA;MCINTOSH;THOMAS, 2018;OLOMOLAIYE, 2017;WANG, 2019;YU;CHOW, 2015;NORDIN et al, 2017;ORRELL et al, 2013;OSWALD et al, 2010;OWSALD et al, 2003;PEREZ et al, 2001;RIEH, 2020;SAARI;TANSKANEN, 2011;SINGELENBERG;STORLAZ;MCCALL, 2014;STEPHENS et al, 2019;MARCON, 2013;MARCON, 2014;THÉRIAULT;WISNIEWSKI;MARTIN, 2010;YANG;FU, 2019;ZARGHAMI;OLFAT;FATOUREHCHI, 2019) e comumente associado à qualidade e situação habitacional.…”

An Explorative Study of the Political, Economic, and Social Factors Influencing the Development of Senior Housing: A Case Study of Hong Kong

“…Indoor public amenities (e.g., clubs and leisure/sports centers) and outdoor public spaces (e.g., green spaces and pedestrian ways) can encourage older people to engage in more recreational activities and physical exercise, contributing to a healthy lifestyle and high quality of life [15,17,26,27]. The use of connecting corridors, elevators, and a shared area (e.g., a hall and meeting room) can support the gathering of and communication among senior residents and reinforce their social interactions within the community [16,18,28,29]. All of these studies emphasize the importance of integrating age-friendly features and facilities into housing design to maintain a certain level of proactivity in aging dwellers' daily life routines.…”

Human Factors in Green Building: Building Types and Users’ Needs

“…Yukiko Kuboshima, Jacqueline McIntosh and Geoff Thomas [18] used a qualitative case study approach to investigate the rental housing design for the elderly. The method consisted of a detailed documentation of the physical environment, followed by interviews with and full-day observations of the residents and their caregivers, to examine the living experiences of six old people who lived in local-authority rental housing in New Zealand.…”