Journal of the Korean housing association (한국주거학회논문집)

The Korean Housing Association (한국주거학회)
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A Survey on the Aged Consumers' Needs for an Elderly Friendly and Sensitive Bathtub Alternative

노인 친화적 감성용 욕조 대안에 대한 노인 소비자의 요구 및 평가

  • 최병숙 (전북대학교 주거환경학과, 인간생활과학연구소) ;
  • 권대규 (전북대학교 바이오메디컬공학부)
  • Received : 2013.08.23
  • Accepted : 2013.11.06
  • Published : 2013.12.25
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Abstract

This study finds out the aged consumers' needs on the developing elderly friendly and sensitive bathtub. This bathtub focuses on enhancement of multi-senses and enhancement of health, safety & convenience during bath. The enhancing multi-senses would have four functions; therapy with color and aroma, the massage with micro water bubbles, the visual and auditory with TV & cinema, and the auditory with music and radio. Also, enhancing others of bathtub would have seven functions; emergency bell, blood-pressure check system for health condition, water temperature indicator, keeping water warm, reading a book in that, and controlling of house entrance door and a getting the phone during bath. The aged consumers' needs find throughout a questionnaire survey, and 497 data was analyzed. The main results are as follow. They consider a full bath behavior as a healthcare. They have an intention to purchase or use the elderly and friendly bathtub, and they prefer using it in common facilities to using it at home. They highly need health related function of bathtub, which are massage (64.4%), blood-pressure check system (55.1%) and aroma therapy (45.7%). The emergency bell (67.0%), keeping water warm (62.2%), and water temperature indicator (49.7%), related to safety & information function of bathtub, are needed. Also, they think tolerance for error and low physical effort in bathtub design alternative, opening door and inside sitting support, to be important.

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References

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