Munch Fifteen - (Week 4) Case Study

http://www.avncharity.org.uk/images/casestudy-icon.png

This week's class is actually discussing on case study. Sadly this week, I could not attend the design process class due to some circumstances. 

So lets just get to it. Here is my case study.

http://photos.demandstudios.com/150/107/fotolia_13331759_XS.jpg

Based on a National Survey done by Kang Hoon Sock, Tan Ern Ser, and Yap Mui Teng in 2013, 45% of the elderly Singaporeans reported healthy while 29.5% of the 65–74 age group and 19.4% of those aged 75 and older reported likewise. 

Americans with the age of 65 and older are involved in more than 2.3 million accidents in their homes each year and  about 7,000 die in such accidents annually. Up to 32 percent of community ­dwelling individuals over the age of 65 fall each year, and females fall more frequently than males in this age group.

Senior citizens are most at risk, suffering both the highest mortality rate and the most severe injuries. In 2002, based on a book written by ROSPA, an estimated 500,000 senior citizens attended accident and emergency departments as the result of a home accident.

http://www.assistinghands.com/potomac/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/fall-down.gif

Most of the accidents that happen to senior citizens are tripping. It could be cause by slippery floor or objects lying on the ground. 

If it is caused by slippery floor, there is one way we could solve the problem, that is using slip proof floorings. 

Slip Proof Mats - http://www.floormatshop.com/Business-Industrial/Commercial-Entrance-Foyer-Recessed-Well-Mats/AM-219/Andersen-219-WaterHog-Classic-Tile-Indoor-Scraper-Wiper-Entrance-Floor-Mat-System-Diagonal-Pattern.jpg

They could also be using slip proof shoes. 

Slip Proof Indoor Shoes - http://i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1447322216_3/Indoor-Shoes-Slip-resistant-Plush-Rubber-Slippers-Family-Slippers-Cartoon-Blue-Winter-Home-Slippers.jpg

If it is because of objects lying on the ground, such as toys, I think of a solution of making a roomba that not only clean dusts, but it also moves small objects on the ground to somewhere safe, or maybe if it detects objects, it would warn the senior citizens.

http://www.mygadgets.my/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/roomba560_sideview.jpg

 Those are some solutions that can solve the tripping problem.

Read More

Munch Fourteen - (Week 3) Roleplay and References

http://ezradew.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/empathy-.jpg

During the class, the lecturers asked us to look through our previous mind map and we need to find a way to empathise. Empathise to what? In our group case, we need to empathise with the old people. How? By role-playing.

We decided to role play as the old people. I was an old lady with hearing loss and sight problems, Saumyaa was playing as the caretaker, and Moose was playing as a depressed old man.

I think we succeed in entertaining the audience, and we actually manage to show them how hard living as a we grow old. By empathising to the victims, which in this case is the senior citizens, we manage to understand more about their problems, which hopefully will help us finding the right solutions in solving their safety problems.

After that, we were given a task to research about our topic, Safety for Old People in House, and gain information from books, magazines, and websites. 

Here are some information I got.

I learnt from Rospa that the most common problem senior citizens encounter in their house is fall. Although most falls do not result in a serious injury, being unable to get up exposes the faller to the risk of hypothermia and pressure sores. There are some factor that influence the risk, some of them are physical ability and lack of mobility, balance and gait disorders, and nutritional status -­ vitamin D and calcium deficiency.

I also got some tips from HealthAging.org and A Housing Safety Checklist made by Sarah D. Kirby, such as:

• Emergency numbers and your address are posted by each telephone. 
• Telephones are located in each room. They can be reached from the floor in case of a fall.
• Bathroom flooring is matte-finished, textured tile, or low pile commercial carpet (no throw rugs or bathmats).
• Place grab bars in the shower to make getting in and out of the bathtub easier and safer. Put grab bars near the toilet.

There are more information I got from other sites and books which I will include in the research report.

Read More

Munch Thirteen - (Week 2) Safety for Old People in House

So, my group finally have three members! We can finally start doing this project!

Safety for Old People in House.

In order to go on with the project, we need to find the facts first about this matters.

Do you know that 4 in 5 older adults will battle at least one chronic condition or illness such as heart disorders, arthritis, or osteoporosis. 50% will battle at least two? This fact, taken from www.dosomething.org, clearly states how fragile older people are - by older people I mean those with the age of 60 and above. Even without all these illness they already are having a hard time doing their daily activities since their stamina is not like when they were young.

I was tasked to make the mind map so, this is it.

First, when do old people have safety issues? It could be during the night or the day, or maybe during certain seasons, for example if the subject is living in a country with 4 seasons, the subject could be exposed to dangers during the summer by the insects. If they are living in a country with two season, like Singapore, they could be exposed to dangers during the rainy season since it's going to be extra slippery.

Then, who could cause the dangers to them? It could be the children, since they tend to run and play around, or careless caretakers, or maybe some neighbors.

Where in the house their safety can be harmed? It could be the toilet, bedroom, kitchen, living room or even dining room. In other words, they could be harmed in any room in a house.

Then after finding all these harms, how are we going to prevent the old people from getting hurt?

After brainstorming with the group-mates, we found these solutions. Maybe by applying railings in houses, the old people would be less in harm since they would have something to hold on to when they move around. Maybe house designers could make a home which are friendly to the older ones.

Finished with the mind map, now we need to make the proposal. 

A house is supposed to be the safest place we feel in, but do you know that actually, it is not that safe? Especially when we our sights is not clear as it used to be and our hands and feet do not work as they should be. We all will grow old someday and after working so hard for 50 years, I surely want to live my old days in peace and without encountering any problems. I believe we need to pay more attention to the old people and to our future.

Basically what we are going to do is design a house that is safe, that is suitable for the senior citizens so they can smile wider and enjoy their life more, without worrying too much.

Read More

Munch Twelve - (Week 1) A whole new semester (START)

http://www.kurtzgraphicdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/process.jpg

Just a while ago, the new semester had just started. Brand new class, brand new subjects, brand new teachers!

So from this post onwards, this blog is going to be filled with something new, it is for a new subject, Design Process. 

What is the lesson all about? Basically, It's a subject revolving around the right process of designing. 

Before starting on the design, a designer must first understand the problem better first. How? One of the way is by brainstorming. Just like the old times. We will get on it later.

So during the first day, we were divided into groups of 3 or 4. Unfortunately due to some circumstances, my group only consists of two members, me and Saumyaa. (click here to find out more about her)

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/9/13/1315929432328/Elderly-People-road-safet-007.jpg

After grouping, we were asked to choose a topic from many, and first come, first served. Without hesitation, we chose the topic Safety for Old People in House. There was a similar topic to this, which is Safety for Old People in Bathroom, but since a house has more space than a bathroom we figured we could do this topic easier.

http://www.accommodationnear.com/bestholidays/photos/Orchard-Road-Singapore.jpg

In Singapore, we could easily spot senior citizens - when we walk to school, or even to the market next door. Each time I see them, I would think of my grandparents. My grandfather, unfortunately, is quite sickly. Therefore, he needs help to do things, as the best he can do is walk to the nearby chair. This makes the project more personal to me since if I manage to find a solution to the problem, I will be able to help my grandparents.

So, what do we need to do?

We started of by getting to know the problem better. To do that, we need to brainstorm and make a mind map about this topic; what, where, when, who, how. This is our first assignment. I got the privilege to start doing the mind map. It is time for doodling! 

Tune in next week to see what we came up with!  

Read More