2017 Volume 82 Issue 740 Pages 2479-2487
In China's cities, aging is developing rapidly. In urban dwellings, there is large number of unit-type apartments buildings. While residents living in apartment buildings are also aging in rapid pace. The improvement of their living environment has become an important issue.
The apartment buildings were massively constructed in 1980s to 1990s. Due to lower residential performance, plenty of residents choose to reform the apartments. The households themselves were responsible for indoor remodeling. On the other hand, in China, not only the number but also the service of welfare facilities for elderly are far from satisfying the actual needs. The problem of elderly support at home has become the core problem of elderly support. Among these, how to solve the problem of elderly support at home for those elderly living alone is more urgent.
This paper, based on the investigation of the CS apartment dwellings complex, we find out the following facts on the actual living status of the elderly living in unit-type apartments buildings.
1) 30% of the elderly renovated the walls of the apartments, most of them modified the water space. And the elderly who reform the apartments prefer to live in the apartments in the future.
2) According to the different methods of modification, we divided it into five categories. Among them, most renovated part in type I housing is integrating of water space and living room. This method of renovation allows the household to preserve the living room wall , improve the lighting situation and expand the usable area. In addition, the reform method has positive influences on increasing of communication space with their children and the maintenance of interest space.
3) By observing the relationship between the elderly living styles and the renovation methods of the house, we find out that according to the communication situation with their children, the elderly have different living styles and renovation methods. This paper will divide the elderly into three types, dependent type, independent type and intermediate type. In daily life, the dependent type of the elderly have most close relationship with their children because of stronger uneasy feelings. Their living styles and renovation methods are as much as possible to consider the comfort of their children's living. However, the independent type elderly are more self centered and tend to consider more on their own habits and hobbies during the renovation.
Based on the facts above, we have reached the following conclusion on how to improve the living environment of the elderly living in unit-type apartments. Due to the unit-type apartments have narrow living area, it is an effective way to improve the convenience and comfort of living by integrating the water space during reformation. In addition, it is also the responsibility of the residents' committee and the property company to make correct suggestions for the reformation to the elderly residents. We also believe that the dependent type elderly pay too much attention to their children's living space. So that the elderly sacrifice some of their comfort of living. Therefore, we should provide suggestions to ensure the separation of the living space for the elderly and their children. For the independent type elderly, we should focus on how to link their interests to their reformation of apartments and try to enhance communication with their neighbors. In the future, in order to support the elderly living in their own homes, we should not only pay attention to the indoor living styles of the elderly, but also to build the facilities that the elderly enjoy in outdoor space.
