What is a senior citizen?
Thinning hair and loosening teeth are among the hallmarks of old age. But even though we tend to lump everyone over the age of 65 into the “senior citizen” heading, illnesses and individual lifestyles can make for very different experiences of this stage of life.
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare divides senior citizens into three groups according to their health status, with 75% of the elderly population falling into the first category, 20% into the second, and 5% into the third.
Architects designing structures for the elderly need to have a thorough grasp of the characteristics of each of these categories of senior citizens in order to design spaces that meet their varying mental and physical needs.
“While Taiwan’s Senior Citizens Welfare Act does lay out accessibility standards, its rules establish only the bare minimums for building design,” says architect Lin Chia-hui, who has worked on several eldercare-related projects.
Requiring handrails, lighting, and other features that enhance accessibility is a low bar. The real key for architects is to incorporate senior-friendly appointments that are appropriate, effective, and easy for users to become accustomed to.
The Beitou Senior Daycare Center takes stylistic cues from the hot-springs district, helping make it a home away from home for seniors. (photo by Lin Min-hsuan)