A Bed Design Model Research for the Self-care Elderly

Abstract

With the coming of population aging, the number of the elderly in China has continued to increase. The demand for the age-appropriate furniture has also continued to expand. Bed especially occupies a vital position in all varieties of age-appropriate furniture. In China, the demands of the self-care elderly who is the largest group compared to nursing elderly and assisted elderly are always ignored by furniture designers. Therefore, this paper has conducted a research in order to explore a design method which is more suitable for the self-care elderly so that they can accept this kind of deign more easily. This paper firstly uses literature analysis to define the self-care elderly and clarify their physiological and psychological changes. Secondly, the Jack simulation experiment technology was used to determine the size of the bedding. Thirdly, based on data of the questionnaire survey to construct a KANO model, the kinds of function and structure of the bedding are confirmed. On the basis of these researches, the design scheme can be completed. And finally finish the evaluation and the selection of the design schemes.