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Elders' Health & the Built Environment

    elderly man in cityElderly people interact with the built environment in ways that reflect changing lifestyles and changing physical capabilities. After retirement, people have more time to enjoy parks, recreational activities, and other community facilities.


    At the same time, conditions such as chronic diseases and limited vision may limit mobility and create special needs. For example, an elderly person who is no longer able to drive but lives in an area with buses, transit, and other transportation options has the ability to stay mobile well beyond the capacity of many in suburban communities.

    Housing is another example of an environment that can affect the lives of the elderly. From conventional apartments to assisted living facilities, a variety of design features can be helpful. These include adequate lighting, shelving that does not require climbing or bending, equipment such as telephones with large-print labels, and alternatives to stairs. Housing design should provide plenty of opportunity for physical activity. If elderly housing is located in walkable communities, near destinations such as libraries, stores, and places of worship, then elderly people can remain independent, active, and engaged. Combined transportation and land-use planning that offers convenient, accessible alternatives to driving can help the elderly reach this goal of an active, healthy lifestyle.


    For more information on elders' health and the built environment, refer to the following resources:

    • America’s Aging: The Social and Built Environment in an Older Society
      (http://www.nap.edu/books/0309037808/html/)
      Published by the National Academy Press in 1988, this text includes a number of very relevant chapters, such as “Social and Physical Environments for the Vulnerable Aged” and “Design Problems in Enhancing Productivity and Independence in Housing for the Elderly.”


    • The Institute on Aging and Environment at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of Architecture and Urban Planning
      (http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/IAE/)
      Promotes research, scholarship, and service concerning environments for older persons.


    • Heumann LF, McCall ME, Boldy DP, editors. Empowering frail elderly people: opportunities and impediments in housing, health and support service delivery: Westport, CT: Praeger; 2001. This book includes several very relevant chapters, such as “The Role of the Built Environment in Holistic Delivery of Home- and Community-Based Care Services to Frail Elderly Persons.”

    Additional information on elders' health and the built environment as well as other related topics can be found in the Additional Resources section.

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