‘Future proof’ living for seniors

“It is a difficult topic for people to talk about, but it is a big pressure that is building and the discussion we need to be having is how will we support our ageing population?” she says.

Professor Farrelly is helping to create conversation with her latest publication which she guest edited, Designing for the Third Age: Architecture Redefined for a Generation of Active Agers.

In the book, academics from around the world look at how different countries, including Australia, are tackling their ageing question.

“There are some interesting perspectives. In China, it's a ticking time bomb, mainly as a result of the one child policy, while Scandinavia is seen as leading the way,” Professor Farrelly says.

“Culturally, ageing has been accepted and they have respect for people as they get older, providing integrated solutions to housing.

“The Australian population is very independent and likes to maintain that independence and 'age in place' where they can, while in the United States there has been a trend to move into purpose designed accommodation.”

Professor Farrelly also includes some new ideas in the book and had run a student competition to see how they looked at the issue of ageing in terms of housing.

“One of the ideas they came up with was the adaptable home which would house people from eight years to 80 years old,” she says.

“The concept is that housing accommodation is adaptive and be reorganised to accommodate people’s changing needs, from having a family to more dependence as they get older.

“When the Design Research Institute at RMIT set a Design Challenge on Ageing the brief was to look at innovative responses to ideas to improve the lives of the ageing population.”

Their ideas included an interactive web tool that could act as an online repository for memories as a way of supporting people with dementia. Other ideas suggested creating more activity spaces and micro industries associated with retirement villages within the city.

Professor Farrelly says ultimately there is no “one size fits all” solution.

“We need adaptable solutions particularly for housing. Some people want to stay in place in their familiar surroundings, while others want to be in accommodation that adapts as they become more dependent.

“There is an argument for mixed communities where older people live alongside people with children and younger generations, sometimes segregated communities can create problems, including isolation and intolerance.”

In New York, for example, older people who can't afford to move to retirement homes have young people to live with them. They have the emotional support in return for lodging.

Professor Farrelly urges urban designers to create spaces that are ‘future proof’.

“Buildings need to have some flexibility to last for generations instead of being knocked down and rebuilt as they have been in some inner city developments,” she says.

“We are creating a more independent and disconnected society and that impacts how we look after the older generation.

“Some city spaces and buildings currently offered to the elderly are not places people would choose to live in.

“If you are an older person, then the quality of your immediate surroundings is important, the quality of the public spaces, social spaces, places to meet and interact, but also our homes need to be bright, light and comfortable.

“As we spend more time at home we need to consider comfort and convenience as important design factors.”