• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.23 no.2 s.74
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• pp.11-22
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is 1) to clarify that the house is no long the safe place through the cases of the senior safety accidents and to argue the need for housing repair and 2) to present the minimum standards for housing repair by comparing the cases here as well as the abroad and to back up the standards with the current senior housing environment 300 people at least 60 years old living in Seoul$\cdot$Metropolitan area were interviewed using the structured questionnaire. As the result, the following conclusions were made: 1. There was high accident rates of the senior residents due to physical deficits within the house, causing excessive medical cost and decreased housing satisfaction. This problem can be sufficiently prevented by housing repair which can not only solve the safety problem but also support self sufficient living for the senior residents. 2. Proper housing repair required the architectural know how as well as the expertise knowledge of the physical characteristics of the senior people. Therefore, it is essential to secure the professional (i.e., occupational therapist) who can analyze the needs of the senior residents and evaluate and/or predict the obstacles during repair. Furthermore, development and distribution of the standardized manual are also needed. 3. The minimum standard for housing repair could be approached in view of 'barrier-free' concept. First, the bumps should be removed, slippery prevented, and safety grab-bar installed for safety. Second, the entrance should be widened and the bathroom and kitchen restructured to support for the senior residents' self sufficiency. To make housing repair policy more efficient, the legal basis is required. It can be incorporated into the existing senior citizens 'Welfare Act' or the 'Senior Residents Medical Insurance' which will be effective starting in 2007.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2002

As a result of the expansion of the nuclear family in society, there has been an increase in the number of elderly people who want to live independently of their children. Australia is one of the countries which has initiated an extensive welfare program for its senior citizens. These services include maintenance of, and alterations to their own homes to make living conditions safer and more manageable. This case study was aimed at finding ways of adapting the services provided in Australia, to meet the needs of elderly Koreans who are in similar situations. It evaluated houses which had been renovated and altered fur the normal as well as the disabled elderly in both Melbourne and Sydney. results of research were as following : 1) Most elderly usually wished to remain as long as possible in their own home and it made them very stable in psychologically. 2) Housing maintenance and alterations were provided as one of social care services fur elderly with low expense and loan from government. 3) Many elderly were also getting various kinds of social services, fur example, meals on wheels, transportation and cleaning service with housing alterations and these ones let their quality of life more improved. 4) Occupational therapist and Architect were always involved in the process of housing alterations for disabled elderly. 5) The alterations which related to bathroom, toilet and steps were very popular and those were considered essential design guide applications for planning of housing for elderly in the future.