Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

The proposal is for a concept of providing the elderly segment of the population with an enhancement of their places of socialization in the form of neighborhood community centers for the elderly. These centers are viewed as an integral part a neighborhood’s community infrastructure and as such they should be located in multiple locations in a city at regular intervals and frequencies. The relationship between the distance that may be covered by an elderly person to reach any of these centers either by walking independently or with assistance or with the use of specialized service vehicles is examined. The catchment area for the population of the elderly in a neighborhood is also examined to estimate the occupancy for this piece of community infrastructure. The program to be found in these centers is also examined in ways in which it may provide this segment of the population with a one stop shop for addressing some of their most basic needs in terms services related to them. Also important is the provision of meals and of themed and organized activities that may enhance quality of life and socialization amongst groups of the same generation but also activities of an intergenerational nature. These centers are also conceived of as places where an elderly person may outsource some of their living spaces for individual or group occupation and as an effort of mitigating loneliness and exclusion for this segment of the population.