published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1975. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH. / Bibliography: leaves 210-212. / Gayle Tweeton Epp. / M.C.P.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

published_or_final_version / Housing Management / Master / Master of Housing Management

The living situation of the older generation is a matter of increasing social concern. Demographic changes are leading to larger proportions of elderly people in the populations of the developed world. Tied into this evolution and even more important are the processes of social change - in particular the loosening of traditional family bonds - which make the living situation of older people extremely precarious once they begin to become frail.One aspect of the living situation of older people, namely their housing situation, or more specifically the question of housing and care, has long been neglected or mainly answered with uniform solutions of institutionalized housing for the elderly. Today, these cannot be seen as the only answer to the diverse needs of elderly people, especially since the housing situation has a very strong influence in determining their degree of self-sufficiency. The increased need for housing suited to the needs of elderly people is the impetus for additional investigation, improvement of present conditions, and studies of future developments. The resulting knowledge and impact on the built environment will be very important to academia and the future education of all environmental design professionals as well as society in general.The purpose of this investigation is to illustrate the significance and relationship of socialand spatial requirements within the concept of living and care, because only the simultaneous addressing of these conditions allows for 'aging with dignity'. The existing demographic situation as well as the inadequate housing situation for the elderly makes it important to investigate the provision of health care, social services, and everyday necessities along with a well-designed architectural and urban development framework.This paper consists of three main parts. The first two parts focus on the research of theoretical and practical design aspects as they pertain to current thinking in elderly care and assisted living. This is accomplished through an investigation of published international examples. In addition, valuable information about the housing needs and desires of elderly people was gathered by exploring four built examples in the United States and Germany, thus helping to identify the framework of the architectural exploration.The third part documents the development and process of both an operational and design concept for elderly housing in a selected urban community. The site is located in Potsdam, Germany, within an existing urban block of the old city core. The architectural design attempts to express the idea of 'aging in dignity' and includes thoughts about the interrelation of new and existing residential units as well as their impact on the context.The aim of the study is to ascertain information about the effects of diverse, networked and, in part, innovative facilities and services on the independent living capabilities of the elderly, and the control over one's living environment. Promoting independent living, this study should help to determine the extent to which these services could be provided. / Department of Architecture

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-132).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Erskine Theological Seminary, 2006. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-132).

O envelhecimento populacional é um processo natural que está ocorrendo em todo o mundo. O Brasil terá apenas 25 anos, enquanto os países europeus levaram um século para o envelhecimento da população. Com o aumento da população idosa, a sociedade terá importantes consequências culturais, sociais e econômicas, advindas de muitos problemas, que estão relacionados às famílias com condições econômicas precárias e número cada vez menor de filhos, habitações sem planejamento para a terceira idade, asilos sem infraestrutura para atendimento, cuidadores de idosos sem formação, descaso, abandono e pobreza. Com todos os problemas relacionados à terceira idade, este trabalho busca determinar as diretrizes sustentáveis e saudáveis para a melhoria da arquitetura para os idosos. Mediante entrevistas estruturadas e visitas nas Instituições de Longa Permanência dos Idosos (ILPIs) existentes na cidade de Curitiba, possibilitou-se a identificação das reais condições em relação à qualidade de vida dos idosos. Durante a pesquisa observou-se: carência em infraestrutura da edificação; inexistência de equipamentos para o aproveitamento das águas das chuvas e/ou aquecimento da mesma para usar principalmente no chuveiro; falta de local ao ar livre com direito ao sol fora do recuo frontal e sem exposição à rua; serviços e atividades ofertadas, como médicos geriátricos, odontólogos e falta de atividades voltadas às doenças que mais se apresentam nas instituições, como o Alzheimer, a Hipertensão e Diabetes. Isso indica a necessidade de um espaço projetado para a terceira idade utilizando diretrizes sustentáveis e saudáveis, como por exemplo a escolha de materiais não tóxicos e próximos ao local da construção devem ser escolhidos durante a fase de projeto, que possam melhorar a qualidade de vida dos idosos residentes nas casas de repouso. / Population aging is a natural process that is taking place worldwide. The Brazil will take only 25 years, while European countries had a century to the population aging. With population aging, the society had important cultural, social and economic consequences, resulting from many problems, which are related to families with poor economic conditions and increasingly fewer children, houses without planning for the elderly, nursing homes without infrastructure to service, untrained elderly caregivers, neglect, abandonment and poverty. With all the problems related to old age, this study seeks to determine the sustainable and healthy guidelines for improving the architecture for the elderly. By structured interviews and visits in the institutions of the Long Term Elderly (ILPIs) in the city of Curitiba, enabled the identification of the actual conditions regarding the quality of life for seniors. During the research it was observed: lack of infrastructure building; lack of equipment for the use of rainwater and / or heating the same for use mainly in the shower; lack of outdoor venue with the sun right out the front setback and without exposure to the street; offered services and activities such as geriatric doctors, dentists and lack of activities related to diseases that present themselves in institutions, such as Alzheimer's, hypertension and diabetes. This indicates the need for a space designed for seniors using sustainable and healthy, such as the choice of non-toxic materials and nearby the construction site must be chosen during the design phase, guidelines that can improve the quality of life of elderly people living in nursing homes.

O envelhecimento populacional é um processo natural que está ocorrendo em todo o mundo. O Brasil terá apenas 25 anos, enquanto os países europeus levaram um século para o envelhecimento da população. Com o aumento da população idosa, a sociedade terá importantes consequências culturais, sociais e econômicas, advindas de muitos problemas, que estão relacionados às famílias com condições econômicas precárias e número cada vez menor de filhos, habitações sem planejamento para a terceira idade, asilos sem infraestrutura para atendimento, cuidadores de idosos sem formação, descaso, abandono e pobreza. Com todos os problemas relacionados à terceira idade, este trabalho busca determinar as diretrizes sustentáveis e saudáveis para a melhoria da arquitetura para os idosos. Mediante entrevistas estruturadas e visitas nas Instituições de Longa Permanência dos Idosos (ILPIs) existentes na cidade de Curitiba, possibilitou-se a identificação das reais condições em relação à qualidade de vida dos idosos. Durante a pesquisa observou-se: carência em infraestrutura da edificação; inexistência de equipamentos para o aproveitamento das águas das chuvas e/ou aquecimento da mesma para usar principalmente no chuveiro; falta de local ao ar livre com direito ao sol fora do recuo frontal e sem exposição à rua; serviços e atividades ofertadas, como médicos geriátricos, odontólogos e falta de atividades voltadas às doenças que mais se apresentam nas instituições, como o Alzheimer, a Hipertensão e Diabetes. Isso indica a necessidade de um espaço projetado para a terceira idade utilizando diretrizes sustentáveis e saudáveis, como por exemplo a escolha de materiais não tóxicos e próximos ao local da construção devem ser escolhidos durante a fase de projeto, que possam melhorar a qualidade de vida dos idosos residentes nas casas de repouso. / Population aging is a natural process that is taking place worldwide. The Brazil will take only 25 years, while European countries had a century to the population aging. With population aging, the society had important cultural, social and economic consequences, resulting from many problems, which are related to families with poor economic conditions and increasingly fewer children, houses without planning for the elderly, nursing homes without infrastructure to service, untrained elderly caregivers, neglect, abandonment and poverty. With all the problems related to old age, this study seeks to determine the sustainable and healthy guidelines for improving the architecture for the elderly. By structured interviews and visits in the institutions of the Long Term Elderly (ILPIs) in the city of Curitiba, enabled the identification of the actual conditions regarding the quality of life for seniors. During the research it was observed: lack of infrastructure building; lack of equipment for the use of rainwater and / or heating the same for use mainly in the shower; lack of outdoor venue with the sun right out the front setback and without exposure to the street; offered services and activities such as geriatric doctors, dentists and lack of activities related to diseases that present themselves in institutions, such as Alzheimer's, hypertension and diabetes. This indicates the need for a space designed for seniors using sustainable and healthy, such as the choice of non-toxic materials and nearby the construction site must be chosen during the design phase, guidelines that can improve the quality of life of elderly people living in nursing homes.

The therapeutic opportunity for the elderly due to building control automation use in a retirement home was investigated. Previous research suggests that a basic understanding of elderly functional needs and building control automation capabilities is required Ifn order to secure the opportunity for maintaining existing elderly functional abilities. This study explores the extent to which building control automation can be applied in retirement homes. The research questions generated for this study were: To what extent is the success of building control automation dependent on the level of demand by residents, staff, and administration? How can elderly of varying disabilities interact with and around what building control automation features? How can building control automation support elderly independence and minimize the need for relocation to a higher level of care? What type(s) of building control automation will either promote independence or threaten it? A nurse aide questionnaire was used to identify the nurse aide's perception of the retirement home environment, residents' activities, and issues of elderly well-being. A resident questionnaire addressed residents needs and desires to maintain independent living with assistance of building control automation. And lastly, participant observation was used to reveal unique aspects of the physical environment and activities in questionnaire responses. / Master of Science