Ageing at home is the option for the elderly to live and age in a familiar and belonging environment. As the physical functions of the elderly continue to decline, or they are affected by diseases, such as previous strokes, dementia, Parkinson's disease, cataracts, etc., the difficulties in daily life and the risk of home accidents will increase. A comfortable and safe living environment are the fundamantal to achieve aging at home. There are special needs for home design and functions that a tailor-made home optimisation will improve the living quality of the elderly and their caregivers.
Home optimisation for the elderly is a comprehensive service that involves a range of knowledges such as medical diagnosis, space design, usage of assistive devices and engineering. It takes functionality as the most important consideration, and is formulated according to the actual situation of users and caregivers. The most suitable living environment. The process can be summed up as a three-step process of assessment, design, and engineering.
1. Assessment
There are occupational therapy assessment and home environment assessment. Occupational therapy assessment is to provide reports and provide skills training and guidance according to the elderly’s physical condition and difficulties in life.Home environment assessment provides on-site inspection of the living circumstances and cooperates with the elderly’s occupational therapy assessment to propose measures to improve home facilities.
2.Design
In addition to meeting the needs of the elderly, it is also important to modify the design according to the situation of family members or caregivers. Many old residential units have been in disrepair over time where there may be safety concerns such as water seepage and peeling of concrete. The purpose of design is to create a comfortable home for the elderly and their caregivers. Desiger considers different aspects of evaluation which is based on the occupational assessment, the needs of family members or caregivers, as well as the depreciation of the residential unit, space constraints.
3. Engineering
There are three types of elderly home optimizations including home assistant device installation, maintenance and renovation. Some of the social welfare organizations provide basic services of assistant device installation such as armrests, bath chairs and replacement of door handles. If the project involves water and electricity works, such as replacement of sanitary ware, replacement of water pipes and wires and demolition of walls, you will need a qualified contractor to carry out the work. There are professional interior design consultants for the families who are planning to redesign and remodel their homes in order to take care of their parents or for their own elderly care in the future.They provide one-stop services from occupational therapy assessment to engineering. The professional design team has an in-depth understanding of the situations of seniors and their caregivers that can always deliver professional senior home designs.
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