Assessment of and Improvement Strategies for the Housing of Healthy Elderly: Improving Quality of Life

I-Ming Feng, Jun-Hong Chen, Bo-Wei Zhu and Lei Xiong
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I-Ming Feng: College of Creative Design, Asia University, 500 Lioufeng Rd., Wufeng, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
Jun-Hong Chen: College of Creative Design, Asia University, 500 Lioufeng Rd., Wufeng, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
Bo-Wei Zhu: Faculty of Humanities and Arts, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa 999078, Macau, China
Lei Xiong: College of Creative Design, Asia University, 500 Lioufeng Rd., Wufeng, Taichung 41354, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 3, 1-32

Abstract: Global population is aging, particularly in developed countries and cities. Through the “Friendly Elderly Cities” and “Aging in Place” initiatives, various countries are making great efforts to improve the welfare and quality of life of the elderly, with the aim of catering to the physical and spiritual health as well as social welfare of the elderly. In this regard, the improvement of the housing environment of the elderly is one of the key factors in their quality of life and health. This study aims to effectively assess and improve the housing environment of the elderly in order to enhance their quality of life; it also aims to contribute the knowledge about improving elderly housing by applying an assessment framework using expert interviews and data collected from relevant literature. Using a mixed Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis model, a combination of the DEMATEL (Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory)-based ANP (Analytic Network Process) (DANP) and the modified VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) methods, and the investigations and assessments in the case study, this study proposes strategies and directions for improving elderly housing. The study results indicate that, as distinct from using traditional methodologies where the hypothesis criteria are mutually independent, the proposed hybrid model (examining real-life problems by considering the mutual influences of factors) identifies a priority sequence wherein emphasis is placed on improving ventilation and air quality rather than adjustment of temperature. The systemic way of thinking shifts the focus from the most apparent problems to the root cause of the problems. Doing so avoids any mismatch of resource allocation in decision-making and thus maximizes the efficiency and sustainability of the improvement.

Keywords: population is aging; aging in place; D-DANP-mV model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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