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Physical barriers and risks in basic activities of daily living performance evaluation in state housing for older people in Chile
- Authors:
- PIZZI Marcela, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Housing Care and Support, 16(1), 2013, pp.23-31.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The design of housing can have a significant impact on older people’s independence when performing basic activities of daily living (BADLs). This study observed the BADL performance of older people living independently in housing for older people provided by the State of Chile in the city of Santiago. The overall purpose of the research is to generate an objective assessment instrument to serve as a basis for housing adaptations and improvement or for the use in new designs appropriate to the changing functional capacities of this age group. A total of 40 older people were visited in their homes by at least 2 researchers to observe their capacity to carry out 40 tasks associated with BADLs. The findings show that State housing design is significant in BADLs performance, limiting functionality in one third of the observed tasks. These mainly concerned demanding reaching requirements associated with height, but also extended to other inadequacies in design which act as barriers or bring potential risks. The paper prompts a reassessment by State housing providers of the design of housing types for older people as well as the adaptation of existing units to extend independence in time rather than undermine it.