The Living Environment and Thermal Behaviours of Older South Australians: A Multi-Focus Group Study

Abstract

Ageing brings about physiological changes that affect people’s thermal sensitivity and thermoregulation. The majority of older Australians prefer to age in place and modifications to the home environment are often required to accommodate the occupants as they age and possibly become frail. However, modifications to aid thermal comfort are not always considered. Using a qualitative approach this study aims to understand the thermal qualities of the existing living environment of older South Australians, their strategies for keeping cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather and to identify existing problems related to planning and house design, and the use of heating and cooling. Data were gathered via seven focus group sessions with 49 older people living in three climate zones in South Australia. The sessions yielded four main themes, namely ‘personal factors’, ‘feeling’, ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’. These themes can be used as a basis to develop information and guidelines for older people in dealing with hot and cold weather.

Frailty and Seasonality

“…Specifically, cardiovascular and/or pulmonary function can diminish (9-11); the immune system response to external stressors such as the influenza may reduce (12); and the musculoskeletal system can dysfunction -the latter manifesting as sarcopenia (loss of muscle strength, mass, and function) (13). It is also thought that the physiological ability to regulate temperature declines with frailty, given that this is also a common occurrence with the 'ageing process' (14,15). Indeed, the majority of older people require higher temperatures to be within their thermal comfort zone (14,15).…”

“…It is also thought that the physiological ability to regulate temperature declines with frailty, given that this is also a common occurrence with the 'ageing process' (14,15). Indeed, the majority of older people require higher temperatures to be within their thermal comfort zone (14,15).…”

A Customized Decision Support System for Renewable Energy Application by Housing Association

“…In order to convince users to apply such systems, there is a need to customize solutions according to the needs of users [32]. The technical support of local stakeholders in renewable energy implementation might also be helpful to combat an emerging problem of energy poverty [33] that decreases the quality of life of inhabitants in urban areas [34]. The issue of energy poverty is especially important in the context of ageing populations [28] despite the fact that long-term care expenses are constantly growing in Poland [35].…”

Quality of Life: The Interplay between Human Behaviour, Technology and the Environment

“…In a special issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on "Quality of Life: The Interplay between Human Behaviour, Technology and the Environment", a total of eighteen papers [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23] were recently published on different topics that are related to this subject matter.…”

“…Of the published papers, four papers [6][7][8][9] were on age-friendly environments, describing the relation of how the environment and technology influences people as they age. A total of seven papers [10][11][12][13][14][15][16] were published regarding how technology can support (older) people in their daily lives in various ways.…”