Frontiers in Computer Education

Frontiers in Computer Education – Wang (ed.)

© 2015 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 978-1-138-02797-8

First exploration of living space for old people with chronic disease,

taking Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in the elderly as an example

Haiyang Gao & Jingyuan Li

Faculty of Design, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan

ABSTRACT: With the growing of aging population in China, we pay more attention to the elderly chronic

disease, and the care of elderly chronic diseases has gradually become the family and social problem which can’t

be ignored. This paper summarizes the design contents of living environment of chronic diseases in elder which

in consideration of special psychological and physiological characteristics and the nursing care they needed from

the perspective of human nature.

Keywords: Disabled elderly; chronic disease; diabetes mellitus; living environment

1 DIABETES MELLITUS

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is mostly diabetes mellitus

type 2, referring to those people who are over sixty

years old and in vivo due to insufficient insulin secre-

tion or impaired insulin secretion, cause the human

endocrine disorders, leading to human body mate-

rial metabolism disorder. Thus, metabolic disorders of

hyperglycaemia and high blood cholesterol as well as

disorders of protein, water, and electrolytes occur. At

the same time, diabetes mellitus type 2 patients have

high incidence of hyperglycaemia, hypertension, high

fat, hyperinsulinism, and also coronary disease, which

is called X syndrome or metabolic syndrome.

Meanwhile, DM always coexists with many

other geriatric conditions, and hypoglycaemia easily

occurs along with accompanying infection, concurrent

Physiological function Characteristics of function weakness

Sensory system As age progresses, vision, hearing, tactile sensation, taste sense, and olfactory sensation all

weaken; meanwhile, the ability to adapt to temperature change and a sensitivity to extreme

climates weakens.

Motional system Flexibility and the power of muscles gradually weakens. Activities are restricted and the risk of

cataclasis increases. The ability to walk and understand weakens.

Central nervous system The ability to react and the concept-forming ability weaken; flexibility and agility are reduced.

Ability for keeping one’s balance weakens. Energy and power are easily lost and depression

easily occurs.

Urinary system Nocturia occurs. Due to increased urination, sleep quality is affected and insomnia becomes

more severe. Meanwhile, with the increase of urine in the bladder, uracratia is aggravated.

Respiratory system and

vasculature

Activities are restricted; fatigue easily occurs; energy and power are easily lost; activities without

confidence.

Figure 1.1. Characteristics of physiological functions of DM patients.

(Source: drawn by the authors)

cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, concur-

rent kidney diseases, concurrent eye diseases, and

concurrent nervous system diseases.

This paper will take the psychological and physio-

logical characteristics of DM patients as examples, and

then analyse their environmental elements, in order

to explore the environment design points for disabled

elderly people.

2 DESIGN OF RESIDENTIAL SPACE OF DM

2.1 Barrier to sensory system

Among all the internal senses, vision is the most

important feeling. Besides the apparent vision weak-

ening, the concurrent pathology of the eyes of people

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