Abstract:
The dissertation, entitled Design Factors for the Elderlys Living Facility, aimed at:
1) identifying the meaning of the elderly in Thailand 2) analyzing and determining the
indicators of design factors for the elderlys living fertilities in Thailand 3) synthesizing the
design factors and producing the original model (prototype) of living facilities for the elderly in
Thailand.
In regard to the population for the study, they were 381 elders living in Thailand and
participating in schools for the elderly from 4 regions of the country. Purposive sampling were
adopted and employed to obtain 150 persons as the study samples, then the study was preceded
according to the mixed research method via the qualitative collected data analyses from the
samples through use of in-depth interviews so as to analyze the indicators of design factors. After
that, the quantitative data analyses were employed through use of evaluation forms of the original
model (prototype) of living facilities for the elderly in Thailand consisting of 3 sets of the facility
equipment for 1) walking 2) sitting, and 3) sleeping, evaluated by 10 experts comprising 3 fields
of expertise: engineering, product design, and medicine. Then, the equipment was tried out with
30 elders of the samples in order to conclude the results from the evaluation form regarding their
satisfaction of the use.
The findings revealed that there were 3 aspects of meanings for the elderly as follows:
1) for the elders who were 60 years old, it was assumed appropriate by definition; 2) the
differences between male and female of the elders; and 3) the differences between those living in
city and the countryside. For the last 2 aspects, there were no differences. Regarding the design
factors, it revealed that the changes in terms of physical and mental conditions of the elders
yielded an impact on thefacility design for the elderlys living in Thailand comprising: hearing,
seeing, and moving, including the level of hormone changes. Regarding to the original model
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(prototype) of living facilities as evaluated by engineering experts, the test resolutions in terms of
strength and safety showed that the equipment conform to The Industrial Product Standard
(TIS) meaning that they all passed the test, whereas, for the aspect of design, it was found that the
first original model (prototype) equipment which was for walking, was physically beautiful to
use, with the highest mean score of 4.57, however, for the functional purposes, its lowest mean
score was 4.14. Regarding to the second equipment which was for sitting, its mean score, for the
safety, was 4.48, while its lowest mean score, for the functional purposes, was 4.24, however, the
third equipment, which was for sleeping, was physically beautiful to use with its highest mean
score of 4.12, while its lowest mean score, for the functional purposes, was 3.40. In regard to the
medical aspect, it was found that the first mentioned equipment, for walking, was safe to use with
the highest mean score of 4.56, and for its facilitation of the body deterioration, the lowest mean
score was 4.34. Regarding this, the second equipment which was for sitting showed its facilitation
of the body deterioration, with the highest mean score of 4.70, whereas its lowest mean score for
functional purposes was 4.56. Meanwhile, the third equipment, which was for sleeping, disclosed
its facilitation of the body deterioration, with the highest mean score of 4.56, whereas its lowest
mean score for functional purposes was 4.33. Besides, for the evaluation of the satisfaction in
using the original model (prototype) equipment after the tryout, it was found that the first one, for
walking, was physically beautiful to use with the highest mean score of 4.70, whereas its lowest
mean score for the facilitation of the body deterioration was 4.61. Regarding to the second one,
for sitting, its highest mean score for the functional purposes was 4.88, while its lowest mean
score for the safety was 4.61. Lastly, regarding to the third one, for sleeping, the highest mean
score for functional purposes was 4.54, while its lowest mean score for the facilitation of the body
deterioration was 4.40.