Societal structure has changed through the decades to reflect a contemporary interest in youth culture. The nuclear family, where generations lived under one roof no longer exists, leaving the elderly on the periphery of the family structure. Where once grandparents, parents and children all cohabitated, now the oldest family members are relegated to solitary retirement and aging alone. Studies have shown that "depression in the elderly is more likely to lead to suicide. Elderlywhite men are at greatest risk, with suicide rates in people ages 80 to 84 more than twice that of the general population. The National Institute of Mental Health considers depression in people age 65 and older to be a major public health problem." (http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/elderly.asp)Providing social activity for seniors can increase their well being and by extension their physicalhealth. The Grace Street Senior Center was designed to accommodate a variety of social activities for the center's members as well as house the center's administration. The member areas range in function from the public, for example, a multi-function area for dance and aerobic classes to the private such as the reading area and music room. All the spaces within the scope of this project are designed with the comfort and well being of the users paramount.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:vcu.edu/oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-2138 |
| Date | 01 January 2008 |
| Creators | Brockett, Virginia |
| Publisher | VCU Scholars Compass |
| Source Sets | Virginia Commonwealth University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | © The Author |
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