Munch Twenty Two - (Week 11) Development

Having only 2 weeks left on this assignment, we need to work even harder. Despite all the information we have got, I honestly think we do not have enough. So, lets research some more to improve the design.

AND WE HAVE FOUND THIS SUPER INTERESTING WEBSITE!

This website is dedicated for the senior citizens. It is an online store that provides us with all sorts of things that is designed to help the senior citizens doing their daily activities.

http://www.elderstore.com/Images/products/MA727142500BathSafeMED2.jpg

This is one example and I find it really interesting. This is a transfer chair that will help the senior citizens getting into the bathtub. I know how this works and I know it is very helpful since my sister was using a chair to help her into the bath when she hurt her leg.

There are also something like adaptable dining ware or even a sports bike for elder citizens! 

I got to say that I find this website very inspiring and will influence our design by a LOT.

Read More

Munch Twenty One - (Week 10) Development

This week's assignment is to decide on how we are going to make the presentation board. The board must be in A2 size. 

Before designing, first we need to find some inspiration. Well, here is it!

http://www.onlinedesignteacher.com/images/left%20to%20right%20presentation.png

http://www.toddmion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Presentation-Board.jpg

From the first example, we can take how to show the objects we have designed. From the second one, I got the inspiration on placing more pictures rather than words. This makes the presentation board way more interesting. I also think using a colored background is better than using a plain white one.

http://www.vdavirtualdesign.com/images/design-examples/VDA-presentation-board-1a.jpg

Looking at this one, I wish we can use only pictures in our presentation board but I think without words, we cannot convey many information. So therefore, we cannot use this idea.

We will look for more ideas and reference for our presentation board. Stay tune!

Read More

Munch Twenty - (Week 9) Final design

Closing in to the deadline, we finish on choosing the ideas we are going to use for the final outcome.

So, we are making 3D objects which are our designs or the existing items with some alteration from us that we think would be better to help the senior citizens.

I have the job to do the bathroom. Here are the ideas I have come up and we decided to use.

First is the shampoo and soap dispenser. 

My grandfather has a hard time remembering which one is the shampoo and which one is the soap. His worsen vision is also not helping. Therefore, I am thinking of providing the senior citizen who is having the same problem with my grandfather this solution. 

This dispenser has two containers side by side, one for the soap and the other is for the shampoo. All the user needs to do is press the button to dispense the shampoo and soap. The two containers have a large logo to tell the user whihc one is what. If it is not clear enough, the containers are designed in two different colors in order to make it easier for the user to  differ which one is the soap and shampoo. 

If the soap or shampoo is running low, the caretaker could easily open the top to fill in the refill. Having a transparent part on its side, it makes the caretaker easier to know when to refill without having to run all out of shampoo or soap.

To prevent the soap or shampoo dripping all over the place and make the bathroom even more slippery, I provided a some kind of plate on the bottom to contain the drips.

So, what do you think of this product? 

Read More

Munch Nineteen - (Week 8) Design Development

After hours spent on discussing our final outcome, we decided to do a few 3D objects that will hopefully help the senior citizens.

First, things that we will put in the bedroom.

http://globe-views.com/dcim/dreams/bedroom/bedroom-01.jpg

We think the most important thing in the bedroom is the bed. To make it safe for the senior citizens, we are thinking of installing railings on it so they can hold onto the railings to help them get in or out of the bed. Of course the mattress needs to be soft so they would not have back problems.

Next is the bathroom.

http://www.roeland.com/images/bathroom1.jpg

The main concern of the bathroom is the slippery floor. Therefore, I am thinking of installing water absorbing rug near the bathtub and sink. The rug has to have a non-slippery materials on the bottom though to prevent it from causing falls to the senior citizens. 

The last part is the kitchen.

http://www.finehomebuilding.com/assets/uploads/posts/32806/A)_Farmhouse_Kitchen_with_a_Future_-_Looking_from_former_Kitchen_toward_new_Kitchen.jpg

I think installing the cabinet lower would help a lot since then the senior citizens would be able to reach it quite easily without risking their safety.

These are so far the idea I have, but of course, I am going to research some more to provide an even better ideas.

Read More

Munch Eighteen - (Week 7) Site Study

This time, we are going to look deeper on this matter - senior citizens' safety, but focusing only those living in Singapore.

http://www.visakanv.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/singapore-google-map.png

With the continued decline in fertility and the improvement in health of Singaporeans, Singapore faces a greying population. 

Based on a survey done by the government in 2005, almost 9 in 10 (87.0%) senior citizens aged 55 and above lived in public flats. 34.6% resided in 1- to 3-room public flats and while 52.5% lived in 4-room or larger public flats. 

http://www.theonlinecitizen.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/36764902.hdb_.jpg

It is also said that among senior citizens aged 55 and above, only 35.8% reported a clean bill of health. The most commonly reported medical ailments were high blood pressure (39.6%), bone or joint problems (23.6%), diabetes (17.0%) and sight problems (13.6%). In general, the proportion of senior citizens suffering from each common medical ailment increased with age. 

http://www.findherbalremedy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/leg-joint-pain.jpg

Just a little over 90% of the senior citizens above 55 years were physically independent. However, the proportion of senior citizens who were fully ambulant and physically independent decreased with age.

Looking at the design of an HDB flat I have been staying at, which I believe has a similar design to other HDB flats, I am pretty sure that it is not made in senior citizen favour, for example how the kitchen cabinet being too high.

We also got the same information when we did interviews to the senior citizens in Singapore.

Since most of them are living in flats, we decided to design the space of a flat with the objects that will help the senior citizens in their daily life.

---

Reference
http://app.msf.gov.sg/Portals/0/Summary/research/NSSC-2005.pdf

Read More

Munch Seventeen - (Week 6) Research Method

http://www.saramarberry.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/evidence-based-design-research-2.jpg

To proceed with our research, we need to find even more information, not only from literatures. So we decided to conduct an interviews with the senior citizens themselves so we can find out what they feel, what they need, and what they want. So, here are some questions we are going to ask the senior citizens we found:

http://levoleague-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Sabotaging-Your-Job-Interview.jpg

For the basic information, we are going to ask their age, the type of the house - since it influence a lot in what they needs, how many people they are living with, their medical conditions, and what is they would rate they house.

Which room in your house you feel most safe in?
Which room in your house you feel most unsafe in? What makes you feel unsafe?
Is there an external helper in your house? How is she/he?
What do you think the most concern of your safety in your house?
Have you had any accident in your house? What happened? Why?
Do you know anyone who have had accident in their house? Describe the accident.
Have you ever considered living in an old folks home? Why?
Do you have any suggestion in improving the houses to make it more suitable you?

We also ask them about their own opinion on how to improve their houses, since they are the one who experience the problem first hand, then I bet they know better or what to do.

Most of the people I interviewed are around 65 years old and all of them live in an hdb flat. Most of them feel the safest in their bedroom, and feel least in the kitchen and bathroom. Most of them also employ an external helper and they are quite satisfied with him or her. Some had have accident at home. They fell due to slippery floor. Most never consider living in old folks home since they feel the safest at home.

We also did surveys for the household members. Here are the questions.

 

Read More

Munch Sixteen - (Week 5) Design Ideas

http://www.bang2write.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/firstclassbusiness.org-home-business-ideas.jpg

After discussing for weeks and crank open our brains, we came up with some ideas.

So basically what we are doing is that we will make a model of a house. In the house, we will include the objects we designed that will help the senior citizens in living in their house.

The house would have railings in every room so it is easier for the senior citizens to walk around. The kitchenette will all be made easier and safer for them to use. We came out with and idea of a mirror with a wiper attached to it in the bathroom so each time it is foggy, they can easily wipe it away. We also would provide a bed design that is easy and safe for them to use.

I also came up with an idea of making a roomba that can move small things on the ground that is not supposed to be there. How do they know this? 

So when it is first used, the roomba would go around the house to scan the objects that is already there and it would remember the placements. So each time there is something on the ground when it is not supposed to be, the roomba would push the thing to somewhere safe. Maybe we could include a place for the roomba to place the things there so they do not get lost.

http://static.trustedreviews.com/94/000024f01/fdb2_orh616w616/Roomba-620-1.jpg

For more details on our designs, do read our research report on Safety for Old People in House.

Read More