An empirical study on the impact of residential built environment on the quality of life of older people:A case study of existing residential areas in Dalian
As individuals age,due to the decline of physical functions and the weakening of mobility,the living circle of older people is shrinking,and residential areas have gradually become the main place for older people's daily lives.However,in existing residential areas,due to the early construction and low design standards,there is little age-friendly environmental planning and design in residential areas.The built environment often cannot meet the living needs of older people,affecting their normal life,and reducing their quality of life.This study focuses on the built environment of residential areas in Dalian and its impact on the quality of life of older people.To conduct this analysis,it utilized grounded theory,including photography mapping and semi-open interviews,combined with a literature review.Additionally,it applied Doyal and Gough's theory of human needs to understand and evaluate the impact of the built environment on older individuals'wellbeing.The study discovered that the current issues with the built environment in residential areas mainly stem from the lack of barrier-free design in public spaces,inadequate planning of activity venues and roads for older people,and the insufficient management of public spaces by relevant community departments.These problems have resulted in a decline in the quality of life for older people and are primarily reflected in their inability to meet nutritional,security,hygiene,and social needs.Among these problems,the fear of falling worries about unknown environments,and shrinking areas are the primary reasons for older people's reduced sense of security.The lack of accessibility and visibility and,the unsuitable physical environment of social activity venues in residential areas,affect the social needs of older people.The lack of convenient channels for purchasing food ingredients and related services hinders the elderly's nutritional needs.Also,the lack of adequate lighting and ventilation in residences,the lack of bathing facilities,and insufficient accessibility of public bathrooms reduce the hygiene conditions of older people.Therefore,to improve the quality of life of older people,the factors behind the decline in the quality of life of older people should be fully considered when renovating the built environment.And demand-oriented overall optimization should be carried out.Among the specific renovation plans,for existing problems in residential areas,direct renovation without any cost count is the most intuitive solution.However,due to constraints such as cost and manpower,this solution is not feasible.Therefore,based on existing resources,making full use of manpower and space within the community to improve the quality of life of older people is a practical problem faced by residential areas currently.For example,improving the convenience of nutrition accessibility for older people by transforming existing idle facilities into community canteens or shared restaurants.Building social spaces that are convenient for older people in community spaces with high visibility and accessibility can provide older people with the possibility to participate in social activities.Providing convenient sanitary facilities in existing or unused spaces in residential areas,increasing the illumination of older people's residences and public areas,and increasing the indoor temperature can improve the hygiene status of older people and meet their hygiene needs.Moreover,relevant departments can attract social capital through incentives and subsidies to establish community management service systems to provide convenient services for older people in their daily lives.Encourage the establishment of mutual aid networks among older people to enhance community cohesion and sense of community.Bottom-up socialization and mutual assistance are important ways to improve the quality of life and the happiness of older people.It is only through the collaborative efforts of the built environment and social environment that we can effectively enhance the living standards of seniors.This study presents a fresh outlook on optimizing the aging suitability of residential areas.
quality of lifeolder peopleexisting residential areasbuilt environmentdemand orientation
国家科技期刊平台
NSTL
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