from the Bloomberg School of Public Health:
We invite you to join us in a unique opportunity where the worlds of design and injury prevention converge to address critical safety concerns facing older adults. We have invited a team of Cornell Design students to visit our campus on May 3rd and 4th to harness the power of interdisciplinary collaboration to develop innovative solutions that prioritize the safety and well-being of our aging population.
The Challenge:
The mission for this two-day event is to redesign a space to mitigate injury risks commonly faced by older adults using public health research, principles of design, and creativity to shape a safer environment.
What to expect:
Research Synthesis: Dive into existing literature and data on injury risks and prevalent safety concerns among older adults. Synthesize this research to inform your design ideation process.
Design Exploration: Brainstorm creative solutions in teams, drawing inspiration from your research insights and interdisciplinary collaborations. Consider a range of design possibilities before honing in on your concept.
Prototyping and Testing: Translate your design concepts into tangible prototypes and schematics using a variety of materials and digital tools. Test your prototypes, gathering feedback to refine your designs iteratively.
Documentation and Presentation: Document your design journey, showcasing the evolution of your ideas, prototyping process, and testing outcomes. Prepare a compelling presentation that highlights the rationale behind your design decisions and the potential impact of your solutions.
Where, When, and Why:
JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health Building, Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland May 3rd, from1pm – 8pm; May 4, from 8am – 1:30pm (breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided!)
Interdisciplinary Networking: Forge connections with those from another top university.
Real-World Impact: Your designs have the potential to significantly enhance the safety and quality of life for older adults, addressing pressing societal needs with tangible solutions.
Professional Development: Hone your skills in research synthesis, design thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration, equipping yourself for future endeavors in the fields of design and public health.
A panel of experts will be present to review the designs and presentations. Prizes to be awarded from $500-$1,500!
Spots are limited. To let us know of your interest in participating, please fill out this short form.
Please see assignment and schedule below:
Topic: Safety at home for older adults: Design strategies to prevent injuries
Goal: To redesign the terrace on the 9th floor at 615 North Wolfe Street to address injury risks to older adults and create a safe and supportive environment.
Background: Public health advances allow people to live longer and healthier lives. This extended lifespan has led to an expansion of the proportion of older adults in the population. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging reported that the population of adults aged 65 and older had grown 36% since 2009.(Administration on Aging, 2021)) The population under 65 grew only 3% during that same period.(Administration on Aging, 2021) This dramatic growth presents new challenges and opportunities for designing care and supportive environments for this large older population.(Vespa, 2018) One leading health policy strategy that has emerged in response is “aging in place” or taking steps to support older adults living safely in their homes as they age. Many stakeholders, including health care providers and the World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Cities Project, endorse aging in place as a tactic to improve older adults’ quality of life and decrease healthcare costs.(Wiles et al., 2012) Aging in place is currently the most common trajectory for older adults: According to the 2016 U.S. Census American Community Survey, 78% of people 65 and older owned the home where they live.(Roberts et al., 2018) During the same time period, the proportion of adults in nursing home facilities declined.(Roberts et al., 2018; IOM, 2010) Home injuries pose a fundamental threat to aging in place. Injuries sustained in the home are the leading cause of loss of independence and emergency room visits in older adults. (Gielen et al., 2015; Runyan et al., 2005; CDC, 2014a; CDC, 2014b)
Researchers suggest that access to the outdoors is foundational to well-being for older adults (Rodiek, et al., 2016) and views of nature may positively impact mental restoration in this population (Gamble, et al., 2014). Additional benefits are improved physical health as the result of the opportunity to exercise and sense of social support by participating of spaces that support social interaction: Aging-in-place, whether in houses or apartments, would likely be enhanced by the provision of adjacent access to outdoor spaces. The specifications for these outdoor spaces include:
- abundant plantings,
- variety of seating options,
- spaces for both groups and individuals,
- wheelchair/walker accessible paths,
- greenery that creates opportunities for wildlife observation (birds, etc.) and
- easy maintenance (Lu, 2018).
Also important are:
- shady places to rest,
- good lighting,
- areas protected from the wind and rain,
- opportunities for active engagement, and
- views from the indoors to encourage access.
Assignment
Students will be divided into teams with at least one Cornell student per team. The assignment is to program/design an outdoor space for older adults on the 9th floor terrace at 615 North Wolfe Street. The process will follow the stages of design thinking:
- Empathize: research your users’ needs. This will also be addressed in the training session.
- Define: Tour and analyze the terrace site. What are the pros (e.g., views, protected areas) and cons (e.g., lack of visual access from the interior)? Discuss the needs and problems faced by older adults. Review research.
- Ideate: Identify a primary design goal in addition to safety (e.g., support social interaction, enhance connection with nature). Challenge assumptions.
- Prototype: Propose an option (or options) that respond(s) to your goals.
- Test: Develop the proposal and test whether it meets your goals.
Ideating.
Prototyping.
Teams:
- Composition: 4-person teams that include students from both Cornell and Johns Hopkins (public health)
Schedule:
May 3
6:30 am-1:00 pm Cornell participants drive to Baltimore
1:00-1:45 pm Describe project, formulate teams; get acquainted exercise
1:45-2:30 pm Presentation by Wendy Shields followed by questions from students
2:30-3:30 pm Design Thinking Step 1 (Empathy). Empathy exercise led by Mardelle Shepley (Pastalan’s Empathic Model); review research literature.
3:30-4:00 pm Design Thinking Step 2 (Define). Tour and analyze the terrace site. Discuss the pros (e.g., views, protected areas) and cons (e.g., lack of visual access from the interior)? Discuss the needs and problems faced by older adults.
4:00-5:00 pm Design Thinking Step 3 (Ideate). Identify a primary design goal in addition to safety (e.g., support social interaction, enhance connection with nature). Challenge assumptions.
5:00-6:30 pm Design Thinking Step 4 (Prototype). Propose an option (or options) that respond(s) to your goals.
6:30-7:00 pm Interim group presentations
7:00-8:30 pm Provided dinner offsite
May 4
8:00-9:00 am Working breakfast. Design Thinking Step 4 (Prototype) continued
9:00-12:00 Design Thinking Step 5 (Test). Refine design solution and develop presentation
12:00-12:30 pm Lunch
12:30-1:30 pm Design Thinking Step 5 (Test) continued. Group presentations.
1:30-8:00 pm Cornell participants drive to Ithaca
Awards: Cornell-Johns Hopkins Safety by Design Challenge
- First place $1,500
- Second place $1,000
- Third place $500
Jurors:
Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures Directors and Advisory Board
Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy faculty
Sue Baker, Professor Emerita and Founding Johns Hopkins Injury Center Director (1987)