描述
As the medical miracles of recent decades have allowed more and more people to live longer, a profound change has taken place in the demographic makeup of the United States: Senior citizens now represent a larger percentage of the American population than ever before. With increasingly sophisticated medical techniques lengthening lifespans even further, and with baby-boomers expected to join the ranks of the retired early in the next century, housing and caring for this large elderly population has emerged as a key issue.
Raymond Goodman and Douglas Smith’s Retirement Facilities brings these issues into focus, offering sensible and sensitive guidance to architects, interior designers, planners, facility operators, and students. Aware of the increasingly favourable market conditions for these facilities but never forgetting the special needs of those who will live there, Goodman and Smith provide the prescription for developing a successful, caring operation. Their suggestions will be of great interest to all those in Europe who are concerned with the housing needs of the elderly.
Since designing for elderly residents requires a broad range of special considerations, the authors treat this subject in detail, examining the phenomenon of aging in place, and showing how the physical realities of aging should be accounted for in such elements as furniture, signage, room layout, fixtures and furnishings, acoustics, and building configuration. The social and emotional aspects of aging are also discussed, with information on how designers can ease the transition into a new environment.
