Designing for seniors requires great awareness, empathy, attention to the smallest details and at the same time humility towards the task at hand. Furniture is supposed to provide comfort and additional support, regardless of age. They are the perfect complement not only to specialized, but especially to private spaces.
Comfortable furniture in a romantic arrangement
Some preliminary data...
Aging in demographic terms is an increase in the proportion of people over 65 years of age, while the percentage of children in a given population is decreasing. These figures depend mainly on fertility, mortality and migration. According to the CSO, in 2020 the elderly accounted for 25.6% of the population. By 2050, this share is expected to rise to around 40%.
Designing for seniors is therefore becoming an increasingly common challenge in the work of architects and designers. In order for society to develop evenly, it is necessary to take care of each age group and facilitate their functioning as independently as possible. In view of this, it is necessary to adapt infrastructure, buildings and everyday equipment to the needs of the elderly.
Armchair with high armrest and cabinet-table on wheels
Barrier-free design
Barrier-free architecture are designs that are mostly created in cooperation with physiotherapists, ergonomics experts and occupational therapists. As a result, aesthetic qualities go hand in hand with usability. They must provide a sense of dexterity and adequate control over the environment. Also taken into account during the design is the fact that no one likes to lose their independence, and awareness of dependence can sometimes be difficult. By design, therefore, furniture for seniors should not exude otherness and overwhelm with medical appearance.
Comfortable chair handle and adjustable, stable chair
Safety first
The most important goal in designing furniture for an elderly person should be their safety and assistance in mobility. When planning the interior design, we need to reduce the risk of tripping, slipping, and minimize the need to bend down, as this can result in dizziness.
Therefore, the furniture has additional handles and casters that make it easier to change location without having to bend down. Provision will be made for hanging up motor aids. Better visibility will be served by using contrasting colors for some items. To prevent injuries, corners should be rounded. Furniture would do well to be made of materials that are easy to clean.
Cart with drawers
Comfort, convenience and modernity
The second important issue is comfort. Thus, for example, the height of an elderly person's bed should reach the user's knees. Lower solutions will make getting up more difficult. A frame with an adjustable headrest, controlled manually or by remote control, will also be suitable. Equally important is the right choice of mattress. It is of great importance for the quality of rest. The bed should have easy access from both sides to make it easier to perform nursing needs.
Also important in an elderly person's apartment will be a comfortably contoured chair, with armrests, high back and adjustable headrest, preferably with spring seats. It would be good if the legs were thick and widely spaced. This will ensure that the piece of furniture does not move easily when sitting down and standing up.
Also appearing on the market are chairs with a backrest and swivel seat, adjustable cushions that provide support for the head, and tables with a design that allows a wheelchair to be attached to it. Underneath the tops there are handles or cutouts to make it easier to push against the table. Instead of tablecloths, we have aesthetically pleasing prints, as traditional napkins could cause slipping.
It would be a good idea for any table tops to haveprotection with additional walls to keep items from falling off. A tray with a surface that prevents items from sliding would also be an improvement.
It's a good idea for some furniture to be made up of several pieces, fitting easily so that they can be easily moved even if there is little physical strength. Furniture knobs must be designed in such a way that they do not cause problems with grasping. This is where long handles work well.
If the furniture has a suitable, adjustable height, the clearances under the furniture allow cleaning with smart cleaning robots.
Supply tables
With the future in mind...
When arranging a space for a senior citizen, we need to keep in mind the need for facilitators. Design with the future and possible physical deterioration in mind. However, it is necessary to remember that such furniture should not stigmatize. Any non-standard solutions must therefore not be too conspicuous. In addition, many elderly people do not like modernization, so furniture must be designed with great humility and sensitivity.
