A Comparative Study on Furniture Design Guidelines for the Elderly

노인주택 가구 디자인의 지침 비교

The purpose of this study was to compare government guidelines and foreign guidelines related to furniture design for elderly. Future elderly will increasingly accustomed to the provisions of improved housing, education and welfare in comparison with our forebears. Also, there will be upgrading and different need for elderly furniture in our market. The results were as follows. The height of bed was based on the height of wheelchair seat, commonly. A adjustable bed was recommended for abled and disabled elderly. A pull-down shelf, drawer, empty space under chest, folding or sliding door in wardrobe and so on were recommended as a elderly furniture. It were good adjustable sink on human scale. There were need the empty space under sink for wheelchair users, one-touch or lever faucet, etc. There have given a little furniture design guidelines for elderly in Korea until now. But those guidelines haven't been considered enough human scale of elderly including wheelchair user. Because the close investigations have not made about abled and disabled elderly for their furniture design. So first of all, the government should be examined elderly physical size more accurately for elderly furniture design. The guideline for elderly furniture design should be for abled elderly and the disabled, too.