Knocking on elders' door: Investigating the functional and emotional geography of their domestic space

The domestic environment is more than a place where to live. It is a "territory' of meaning", a place where pleasure, affect and aesthetics are deeply interwoven with the functional and utilitarian dimensions. With the aging process, the home is progressively invested with new meanings and functions, and becomes the emotional center of older people's life. This paper presents a user study based on cultural probes on how domestic spaces are managed and perceived by older adults, uncovering some of the complex interrelations among the daily activities, objects and meanings revolving around the home. The findings provide suggestions on how the dimensions of remembrance, perception of safety and environmental stability may affect the design of domestic technology for elderly people. Copyright 2009 ACM.