This paper aims to synthesize the published literature regarding the impact of environmental design on the improvement of elderly residents’ physical activity.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to synthesize the published literature regarding the impact of environmental design on the improvement of elderly residents’ physical activity.
Design/methodology/approach
To provide convergent evidence about the association between facility design/management and physical activity of elderly population, searches were conducted in the PubMed and Google Scholar databases, as well as in specific active living design journals such as Applied Gerontology, Aging and Physical Activity, Housing for the Elderly and Sports Sciences. The inclusion criteria for the final list were the articles that were qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies as well as systematic reviews; written in English; related to the built environmental design; wholly or partially focused on physical activity in elderly population; and published in peer-reviewed journals between 1984 and 2019.
Findings
Overall, 30 studies were included in the final list. The results of this review demonstrate that design interventions can raise physical functioning inside and outside of long-term residential facilities. Increasing opportunities for walkable spaces and reducing physical barriers can result in higher levels of physical activity for the elderly population.
Research limitations/implications
This systematic review discloses the design strategies to enhance the level of physical activity by the elderly population based on the findings of the published literature. Overall space layout and accessibility to outdoor walkable spaces were addressed to generally promote the moderate levels of physical activity in elderly population.
Practical implications
Increasing opportunities for walkable spaces and reducing physical barriers result in higher level of activity for the elderly population. Corridor design and interior design ergonomic considerations were highlighted in the literature. Space layout and accessibility to outdoor walkable spaces promote the moderate levels of physical activity.
Social implications
Environmental design considerations are unique aspects of enhancement of activity level in the elderly population.
Originality/value
This systematic review discloses the design strategies to enhance the level of physical activity by the elderly population based on the findings of the published literature. Overall space layout and accessibility to outdoor walkable spaces were addressed to generally promote the moderate levels of physical activity in elderly population.
Details
Keywords
Arsalan Gharaveis, Mardelle M. Shepley, Kirk Hamilton, Debajyoti Pati and Susan Rodiek
The purpose of this study is to explore the potential impacts of visibility on face-to-face communication among medical staff in community hospital emergency departments (EDs)…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the potential impacts of visibility on face-to-face communication among medical staff in community hospital emergency departments (EDs). Also, the researchers investigated how different types of visibility can increase/decrease the efficiency of EDs’ medical staff.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used an exploratory approach to investigate the role of visibility in enhancement of medical staff communication in four EDs within the same hospital system. Overall, 12 semi-structured interviews and 48 h of observation were manually conducted.
Findings
The findings suggest that communication among medical staff can be improved by enhancement of different types of visibility (general and staff-to-staff) in EDs. Also, visibility facilitates patient assessments, overall supervision, comfort and asking for help while reducing stress and distractions.
Practical implications
The results of this investigation can inform hospital managers and healthcare designers about one of the important ways to improve registered nurses and physicians’ performance through environmental architectural design in the enhancement of communication.
Originality/value
Understanding the importance of visibility as a design element would provide a crucial principle for future ED designs. Although research has been conducted with different focuses and methods in other hospital departments, nothing similar to the current study in EDs was available in the healthcare design published literature.