Elderly Houniao for Challenges and Service Design of Social Integration Within the Context of Relocated Retirement

Abstract

Increasingly more retired elderly people with financial means have chosen the retirement option of migrating from the north to the south in winter and returning to their hometown in summer, just like the so-called migratory birds. However, the social integration challenges such as socialisation and identity that come with migration can directly affect their well-being in the place they move to. Consequently, this study aims to improve the social integration of older houniao by incorporating an interdisciplinary approach-service design. Firstly, we constructed a social integration indicator system applicable to elderly houniao based on literature research and used this sociological model to conduct semi-structured interviews with them during the study, in order to sort out their key needs. In addition, user portraits and user journey maps were drawn to summarise user characteristics and reproduce life scenarios, exploring the importance of enhancing the interconnection between elderly houniao and their neighbours. In the end, a community support service system for elderly houniao was developed with the theme of ‘neighbourhood mutual assistance’ and three design strategies were proposed: neighbourhood information mutual aid platform, talent mutual exhibition and hometown ‘dining table’. The service system has changed the isolation of elderly houniao in the integration process, and more importantly, explored the new vibrancy of the mutual assistance service mode in cross-cultural retirement communities, thus creating an inclusive and friendly community environment.