| Summary: | 碩士 === 東海大學 === 工業設計學系 === 102 === The problems behind a so-called social environment of population aging are the relative increase in the elderly proportion in society, which increases the burden of care borne by young adults and leads to a social structural imbalance. In order to solve the problems of care for the elderly, some scholars have suggested that the elderly population should engage in outdoor activities more frequently to invigorate their bodies and minds, and to delay aging. In addition, mutual care among the elderly can fully utilize the human resources of elderly citizens with caregiving ability, thus reducing the caregiving burden of young adults.
This study used field research to investigate and observe the elderly population’s behavior during outdoor activities. This study found that neighborhood parks are the main spaces where the elderly engage in outdoor activities, and that gathering to chat is the main outdoor activity. Because the behavior of gathering and chatting requires space and facilities where the elderly can use for a long time, chairs are the public furniture that the elderly use most frequently.
However, the preliminary observation found that the current design and planning of chairs in neighborhood parks do not support the gathering and chatting activities of the elderly. Because the elderly are the main users of neighborhood park spaces, it is necessary to further inspect whether the function and design elements of park facilities meet the needs of elderly users. Based on field research and observations, as well as a literature review, this study preliminarily summarized the design conditions for supporting the elderly’s gathering and chatting behavior in neighborhood parks, including structures and materials of the chairs that can meet the physiological needs of the elderly, the elderly’s social distance that corresponds to their psychological needs, and supportiveness of the overall environment.
This study subsequently used an experimental chair design and conducted a social experiment on actual activities of the elderly to verify whether the design conditions of the chair were appropriate. This study found that the elderly’s behavior and activity patterns were affected by the intervention of neighborhood parks, and were thus changed and adjusted. Experimental chairs were installed to replace the existing chairs in the neighborhood parks. The experimental results also proved and strengthened the conditions set up by various design aspects.
This study proposed three final aspects for a friendly neighborhood park chair design for the elderly, including: (1) creation of a design of a chair structure that was suitable for the elderly; (2) investigating the material types suitable for the elderly; and (3) chair environmental planning that could support the elderly’s activity content and interaction models. The design aspects and conditions of the chair design used in this study could be provided as a reference for the future planning of outdoor social interaction spaces and environments for the elderly. It is hoped that the results can help the elderly achieve successful aging.
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