Exploring Design for Healthy Aging in Community: A Case Study Approach in the Chinese Context

Due to traditional family values, older individuals tend to prefer aging within the community and home rather than in nursing homes. According to the World Report on Ageing and Health, the aged-care environment significantly influences healthy aging. Recently, there has been a growing trend to integrate various functions and resources into community centers for older citizens in the Chinese context. However, the design of community senior centers, as crucial environmental support for healthy aging within the community, requires further exploration. This study aims to explore the applicability of healthy aging in the Chinese community context through case studies of community senior centers. A comparative case study approach was employed, utilizing observation, interviews, and document analysis based on themes generated from the literature review. This research supplements the healthy aging model by analyzing practical and experience-based cases. The study identifies eight domains and twenty-three sub-domains of healthy aging in the community from a holistic health perspective. These domains include Care and Treatment, Rehabilitation, Prevention, Protection, Behavior, Perceived Health, Engagement, and Inclusion. The findings contribute to the exploration of the definition of healthy aging and provide design inspiration for localized community senior centers.