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Aging, frailty, and design of built environments
1Department of Anthropology and School of Public Health, The Ohio State University, 4034 Smith Laboratory, 174 W. 18th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210-1106, USA. Crews.8@osu.edu.
Journal of Physiological Anthropology
|January 4, 2022
Summary
Age-related frailty in seniors limits their interaction with modern built environments. Designing accessible spaces for frail seniors improves usability for all users.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Human Ecology
- Environmental Design and Accessibility
Background:
- Humans have historically used built environments for shelter and support.
- Modern built environments aim to support human life cycles but present challenges with aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review how frailty impacts seniors in modern built environments.
- To inform the design of accessible environments for all users.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual review based on human ecological theory.
- Integration of physiological and gerontological research on aging.
- Analysis of senescent alterations and frailty phenotypes.
Main Results:
- Age-related frailty, characterized by muscle/bone loss and sensory decline, limits seniors' mobility and environmental interaction.
- Frailty indices quantify age-related functional declines.
- Seniors' current abilities and limitations offer data for future design needs.
Conclusions:
- Designing built environments for frail seniors enhances accessibility and usability for all.
- Accommodation of age-related frailty is crucial for maintaining seniors' autonomy and quality of life.
- Future design should prioritize inclusive human-environment interactions.
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