Activity ageing and adopting the environment for the elderly

Introduction The most important demographic change is the increasing number of the aged population and ageing is of crucial importance to the developing societies. - In 1956, the population aged 60 years and over in Iran was 3.2% of the Iran's population and in 2002,was 7.8%. - By 2025, the population aged 60 years and over in Iran will be reached 10 millions. - Today, about two thirds of all older people are living in the developing world by 2025 it will be 75%. As we consider how well most older persons do function will the limitations that age presents, we realize that the potential for the elderly is still vast and if placed in a properly designed environment, their capabilities can be maximizad. Over the 20% of aged people is not able to do themsellves works. Though, the environment is too often not designed to cosider the limited capacity of the older persons. The present paper is an out come of the author's studies in "Building and Housing Research Center" (BHRC) in Iran. 2. Materials When adapting the environment for the elderly, recognizing the physical and sensory changes is of essential importance, if the most important objective by the adopting process is to provide possibilities and facilitities in the environment to compensate for the age- related limitations. This article deals with age-related changes in vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch and kinesthetic systems and provides some reconnendations for environmental adoptations and modifications which could compensate for the changes in each of these systems. Also it deals with physical, social and environmental factors which could be help to activity ageing and present problems in Iran are discussed. At the final stage, based upon the finding of the paper, varius policy implications will be recommended. 3. Conclusion In this paper, we can arrive at the following conclusions: _ How to provide conditions for social communication. _ How to provide facilities for releation and welfare. _ How to use the senior's abilities and reinforce their phychological perspects. _ How to provide a calm and enjoyable environment for destroying the depression of this period. _ How to have a nice free time for seniors and to solve the problems of the families who are taking care of the seniors. ome things can do to design their homes for safe.

Design-Safety-Elderly-Home-Aging