Design for Healthy Aging

根据经合组织关于残疾率和长期护理的研究，从2000年到2020年，加拿大住在机构里的老年人人数将增加61%，住在家里的残疾人人数将增加62%。目前，只有12%需要长期护理的老年人住在长期护理机构。帮助老年人在家中安享晚年可以延长这段时间，直到需要长期护理设施。通过改善家庭活动能力，老年人可以继续在原地养老，减少对护理人员和/或搬到养老院的需求。NSCAD制定此提案的目标是通过利用其在产品设计领域的独特优势和专业知识来提高其应用研究能力。通过推广，为老年人设计的产品和服务的商业化将使加拿大老年人能够适当地老化，从而提高他们的生活质量，并防止未来几年公共卫生系统潜在的破坏性成本。计划的研发活动分为3个产品流：#1 -功能性服装和配件，#2-药物管理，#3 -浴室的移动性。预期结果包括：-通过我们的合作伙伴关系，让高年级学生和学生直接参与设计和开发过程。-处于不同原型阶段的产品，以演示概念验证和功能。-市场可行性研究，确定哪些原型对老年人的市场最有希望。-参与项目的前辈对产品采用/适应的积极反馈。

According to OECD's study on disability rates and long-term care, the number of elderly people living in institutions in Canada will increase 61 % from 2000 to 2020 and the number of individuals with disabilities living at home will increase to 62%. Currently only 12% of seniors needing long-term care live in a long-term care facility. Helping seniors to age in their homes longer extends the period until a long-term care facility is needed. Through improving mobility in the home, seniors can continue to age in place with reduced need for caregivers and/or moving to a facility. NSCAD's goal in developing this proposal is to enhance its applied research capacity by capitalizing on its unique strengths and expertise in the area of Product Design. By extension, commercializing products and services designed for the aging will enable Canadian seniors to age in place therefore improving their quality of life and preventing potentially devastating costs the public health system for years to come. Planned R&D activities are divided into 3 Product Streams: #1 - Functional clothing and accessories, #2- Medication Management and #3 - Mobility in the bathroom. Anticipated results include: -Direct participation in the design and development process by seniors and students via our partnerships. -Products in various stages of prototyping to demonstrate proof-of-concept and functionality. -Market feasibility research identifying which prototypes have the most promise for the senior's market. -Positive feedback on product adoption/adaptation by seniors participating in the projects going forward.