ID-20ST-04Fall2015RebolaStudio-Denizci_Petit_Sagakuchi

Research
methodologies
and analytic
frames for
designing
interventions
and
implementation
plans for
local aging
communities
and health
challenges

CHANGE

H E A LT H C A R E B Y D E S I G N

1125

WHAT IS ISOLATION?
THE CONTINUAL LACK OF CONTACT WITH
OTHER PEOPLE.

CAUSES

+POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)
+LACK OF SOCIAL SUPPORT
Living alone
Small social network
+LACK OF AGENCY
Increased need of assistance
Physcial disability
+LOWER INCOME

EFFECTS

+LONELINESS
Feeling unrelateable to others

+LOW MOTIVATION
Avoidance of people and activities typically enjoyed

+MOOD DISORDERS
Depression & Anxiety

+STRESS RELATED CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Heart diseases

HIgh blood pressure
Alcohol or Drug problems

Trouble sleeping
Chronic Pain
Dementia

STATISTICS

+ Studies of the older population and social isolation concluded that
those without adequate social interaction were twice as likely to die
prematurely.

+ Loneliness has doubled since 1980:

+ 40% of adults, 45 and above, said they were lonely

+ Nearly, 20% of the population living alone

+ Over 1 million older people havn’t spoken to friends and family in
over a month

+ 17% of older adults communicate with others less than once a
week

+ 63% of widows feel lonely due to the loss of a significant other

METHOD: DIARY

We are planning to give each participant a diary which will in-
clude different types of data collection for each day. We think people
don’t give enough consideration to each question when they are filling
out a survey. With diary, there will be one question for each day over
the span of a week, which will enable the participants to take their time
with the questions and collect more accurate answers. Besides survey
questions we are also planing to include different activities for each day
which will make it more engaging.
The diary will have the schedule within itself by breaking up ac-
tivities by day.
Upon our visit we observe that residents are marginalized from society,
wit this research we are aiming to find out how we can immerse them
back.

Survey: Activities:

+Including short stories, riddles, +Getting them involved in data
quotes within questions to make collection as well, by providing
the survey more contemplative maps and diagrams to work on.

+Indirectly including questions +Including tasks like collecting ob-
that probe their personal inter- jects that are meaningful to them
ests E.g. Asking them to make a col-
+Mood Diagrams lage with flowers, which will incite
them to go outside and collect
them.

+Activities that are dependent on
interactions with others.

BRAINSTORMING DIARY QUESTIONS

Word Map

What are you most Share your most mem-
proud of? orable expierences

Daily Mood Could you draw a family tree?
Word Map
What are the
secrets to living a
good life?

ALEXIA’S DIARY ENTRIES

Sharing life together is sharing steps in time.
The music is different to each of us, but how
beautiful the dance.” Vinay

Day 1 , Oct 17
+How do you feel today? Would you like to
share Why?

Happy: “I went to a 100th anniversary par-
ty at my church to meet someone I haven’t
seen in over 50 years! Three other people
from here also came at my table”
+Could you draw your family tree.
Has drawn her family tree. She is an only
child. Was married for 21 years and then
got divorced.
Day 2, Oct 19
+Word Map
What are the words that come to your mind.
(Worries, Routine, Community, Home,
Friends, Outside, Obstacles, Active)
- Added Words: Goals, Learning, Health,
Adapting, Unfinished business
Day 3, Oct 18
+How do you feel today? Would you like to
share Why?
OK: “I was tired from yesterday. Getting up
early for choir practice & singing at t mass.
Had brunch with friends and their son who
came in from Boston. My friends husband
having a bad day. “

+Please share a memorable experience for
us.

“Climbing Huayna Picchu from Machupi-
chu at sunrise in July of 1982. It felt like it
was possible to touch the sky and the snow
topped peaks of the Andes. A truly spiritu-
al experience.
- It was also a somewhat dangerous climb
and I had already developed serene thumb
arthritis and knew it was an amazing op-
portunity and probably the last time I’d do
anything like this. We couldn’t had done it
without the park manager leading us. (my
husband, I and another women)”
Day 4, Oct 19
+What are you most proud of?
“Honey survived in New York for 45 years.
28 of them alone.”
Day 5, Oct 20
+How do you feel today? Would you like to
share Why?
+Mood Diagram
- Bad: “Honey trouble with my arthritis
thumb. Foot. mid back, inner thigh…. No
pool today. I did a couple of moves that
was too extreme for me. Also doing laun-
dry, taking clothes down for dry cleaning
and changing seasonal clothes was too
heavy for me. Also had to cancel my mas-
sage for a new PT.”

INSIGHTS FROM EPOCH

Robert, 84

Robert enjoys immersing himself socially through ac-
tivities at EPOCH. He particularly enjoys trivia and the-
ater. He feels lonely after losing his wife, and is also ex-
tremely bored, He enjoys taking walks, but the furthest
he can go is eastside marketplace; across the street. He
wishes he could get rid of his walker, granting greater
mobility. Frequently speaking to an optimistic outlook
on life. He felt that the prescribed diet at EPOCH was
unhealthy for him and the residents. He sometimes va-
cates to visit his extended family, and they; him. He
has trouble sleeping and noted that emergency sit-
uations frequent EPOCH. He plans to stay at the re-
tirement community, but he doesn’t know if he can af-
ford it for long. He is resistant to living with his family.

Paul, 88

Paul frequently mentioned his boredom. He was very
limited to the campus of the retirement home; some-
times making it to the strip mall across the street. Con-
fined to his walker, he had a comical and sarcastic outlook
on life, however still seemed quite removed and limited.

Claire, 88

Claire exhibited severe signs of memory loss and demen-
tia. She loved to sing, but was extremely isolated at the
expense of her memory. She was able bodied, but fre-
quently relied on the plasticity of others as a mental aid.

CHANGES OF METHODS

PROBLEMS WE HAD WITH DIARIES
We only had a weeks worth of information
Didn’t have control over answers. Meaning participant didn’t answer all
of the questions
Problems with collecting the diaries due to tight scheduling
Didn’t reach intended surveyor number. We asked participants to give
the second diary to a friend but they didn’t do it
Don’t know how the participants are answering the questions

NEW METHOD: INTERVIEWS
Have more control over questions and getting answers.
Reach out to more surveyors
Opportunity to observe the participant while answering the questions

HAMILTON HOUSE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
For the interviews we categorized our questions to 4 groups to get
a wider, and more detailed understanding of isolation. We applied a
shelled structure for our questions, starting from HOME and proceed-
ing to TECHNOLOGY, OUTSIDE and COMMUNITY



DEBORAH, 88

Deborah is a Hamilton member who lives alone. She’s mever been

married nor does she have any children. Despite this she has a
brother, and his wife; As well as two nieces all of whom are living lo-

cally. She likes to see them every week.

She enjoys Drawing, piano lessons, math, astronomy, Italian classes
(Boston University French language background), used to be a High
School Romance language teacher and currently gives workshops
about French Art History.

“I’M A VERY INDEPENDENT PERSON, I WOULD LIKE TO
BE IN CONTROL OF MYSELF.”

Deborah feels the need ”to keep moving, as she cooks her meals,
everyday.” She uses public transportation to go downtown because
there is no parking, and frequently parks and rides. She usually goes to
the Market, Sunday visits with her family, Hamilton house, ballet shows,
and the Providence Orchestra.
She frequently meets with friends for luncheons, at RISD, or at Hamil-
ton House. She expressed that she doesn’t enjoy people however. Not
close with her neighbors at home “When I was taking out the garbage
the other morning, I said good morning to a couple taking a walk and

they looked at me as if I was crazy!”

Deborah used to travel, having visited France and Italy but doesn’t think

she would enjoy it now.

She I have one of these thing if that’s what you mean” pointing at our

macbooks. “that is the only way to connect with RISD. I got it bec-

uase of that” “No, I don’t think I have Wifi or internet.”

CHARLIE, 75

Charlie is a Hamilton member who lived with his wife for 36 years.

She recently moved into a reitrement home due the exasperbation of her

dementia. He has a Son and Daughter as well as two grandchildren;
who he collectively sees up to 3 times a week.

Charlie enjoys running, short story classes, film offerings, theater, and
Brown university lectures.

He goes out twice a day. He frequents cafes and like interacting with

other humans.

“I NEED HUMAN DOSES, ITS LIKE TAKING A VITAMIN.”

Charlie mentions that he is incredibly independent, and doesn’t

have or need friends. He is able to satisfy himself by simply bumping into
people. He is moreso concerned with activities he and his wife can do

together.

He is a member of the Unitarian Church, Hamilton House, Providence
Athaneum Life Examined (a book Club).

To stay connected Charlie has a laptop for email, listing of brown
lectures, access to the internet, and writing. He would like to learn more
about computer classes.

He’s had access to technology for three years, now using it daily.
He is technophobic however, and apprehensive to it.

DONALD, 86

HOME

Donald lives alone currently as his wife resides in a nursing home due

to Alzehimer’s. She is but a 3 minute drive away. He has children,

4 grandchildren, and sees them all a couple of times a year. This year
he is flying out for his son’s surprise birthday. He keeps in touch with
his family, emailing every 2-3 days. He also skypes, and uses his phone
to chat every couple of weeks. He used to have cats and dogs, but it
became a hassle to tend to them.

“THERE’S NO TIME TO TAKE CARE OF PETS WHEN YOU
LIVE ALONE.”

Donald enjoys painting with watercolor and oil paints. He plays the
piano, but gave away his cello. He was a member of the Rhode Island

symphony for 26 years; dropping out to take care of his wife. He

has recently taught himself French with Rosetta stone. Something he
misses doing is going sailing with his wife.

Donald has been using computers since 1968, revising Wikipedia
entries to feel useful, playing scrabble, online games, second life,

facebook, and to read the New York Times. He owns a iPhone as an
alternative to a landline. He likes to use i-books, maps, providence
journal, scrabble, camera, RNPR, Pandora (Folk music), stepometer

“I REVISE WIKIPEDIA ENTRIES TO FEEL USEFUL.”

He tries to get outside, taking walks along the Seekonk river. Aside
from that he is very independent, and is able tod rive himself to where
he needs to go. He doesn’t really have friends, but mentions his wfie
being more extroverted than him.

“I DON’T HAVE MANY FRIENDS.”

MARGE, 75

Marge is a member who lives with her 2 cats. Several times a week

she goes to the kindergarden. She also visits her sons by having sun-
day dinner with them. She enjoys cooking and gardening but these
hobbies have gotten harder to do. She also frequents lectures, and
movies. She is able to drive herself, and recently travelled to Virginia
and Pennsylvania.
She spends time with her friends a couple times a week. They usually
go to museums, Hamilton house, Tai Chi, and lunch. She mentions
that she enjoys to meet new people, most commonly through classes
or over coffee.

“I MAKE SURE TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO ANY NEW
MEMBERS AT HAMILTON.”

Marge mentions that the extent of her technology usage is to call

her sons, and for emergency situations. Shes owned a cellphone for

7 years but really doesn’t enjoy using technology; using her phone
just once a week.

“I CAN’T WALK LIKE I USED TO BECAUSE OF MY
ARTHRITIS.”

LOTTIE, 88

Lottie lives alone, moving to Providence to be near her daughter who
lives in Pawtucket. She has 2 daughters (living in Georgia and RI), 1
son (Oregon). Lottie sees her daughter twice a week, and calls her

other children a couple times a month. She enjoys painting

watercolor at hamilton, acrylic at home, reading (nonfiction, biogra-

phy, philosophy), and bakes every week.
Lottie often gets around by aid of her daughter. They go to the
market twice a week and to Hamilton house once a week.

She doesn’t like to use public transit. She needs help completing
daily chores, and has a cleaning person to keep her organized. She
no longer travels but has been to Europe and Israel.

“YOU’D SHOW UP AT MY HOME IF I TOLD YOU WHAT I
CAN BAKE.”

Lottie mentions that she doesnt have friends, and doesnt
necessarily enjoy meeting new people. She mentions that “at

this age you don’t make many new friends.” She a part of Providence
Villages, helping ”people to stay in their own home and get what they
need; for those that don’t want to go to a nursing home.”

“AT THIS AGE YOU DON’T MAKE MANY NEW FRIENDS.”

She owns a Dell laptop, and bought her first computer a decade ago.
Lottie uses it everyday for email, and research. She used to own a
cellphone in Boston but the cellphone service in her Providence house
was terrible so she got rid of it. She doesn’t enjoy using technology,
using it only for simple tasks such as photgraphing her paintings.

MAY, 74

May lives alone after being divorced for 30 years, she has become
very independent. She has a daughter that lives nearby with 3 kids.

She goes to see them every weekend. She doesn’t have feel

disabled, however she mentions the plethora of activities that she no
longer has the agency to do.

May used to birdwatch, ride her bike, swim, and play tennis. “I was
very physically active, I just have to make my decisions according to my
abilities.”She would like to do more physical things She mentioned her

lack of stamina and endurance.

“YOU’RE NOT EXACTLY YOURSELF ALL THE TIME.”

She visits Barrington, the public library, and Cranston once a week.
She also visits clay handlers, galleries, and Boston. She locally travels
around, but would love to travel more. I would do a roadtrip alone, if

she were more independent.

May mentions that she loves meeting people. “I joined Hamilton a year
ago, taking drawing and painting classes.” She is a member of the
theater group. May likes to meet new people by just doing the things
she enjoys. At the moment she is taking time to care for herself. She

helps friends with recreational things, and keeps them company.

May uses an iPad for its calendar, contact list, video tutorials, geology
classes, but does not use social media. “I don’t care, I don’t have time
give me a call. I don’t care about cat videos.” She emails three times a
day as all her friends have emails. She owns a flip phone and likes the
straightforwardness of it.

DATA ANALYSIS:

PROBLEM: SOCIAL DICONNETION AMONGST
THE OLDER ADULTS

AT HOME

+ Older adults were mostly single, living inde-
pendently at home

+ Some are physically or mentally disabled

TECHNOLOGY

+ The lack of technology literacy could help with
easier access to transportation
eg. Providence Village

+ Social Network for elders to meet to continue
interacting with others
eg. Second Life

+ Agency enabling oppurtunities, encouraging a
departure from the home.

COMMUNITY

+ Journals & Newsletters
eg. Providence Journal, NY Times

+ Adult Learning Exchange
+ Religious & Spiritual communities

+ Volunteer Organizations

DISCOVERY: LACK OF
INTERGENERATIONAL
INTERACTIONS

REMEDIES:
+DESIRED CONTACT
+BEING ACTIVE
+ABILITY TO SOCIALIZE
+ABILITY TO TRAVEL
+COMPANIONSHIP
+FEELING USEFUL
+HAVING RESPONSIBILITY
+FEELING NEEDED
+DESIRE TO HAVE A FULFILLING LIFE
+LEARNING NEW THINGS
+ABILITY TO BREAK DAY TO DAY ROUTINES

DESIGN GOALS: CREATING A SERVICE
THAT ELIMINATE ISOLATION BY INTER-
MINGLING YOUNGER AND OLDER GEN-
ERATIONS.

Page 20

THE
PLACEMAKING

INITIATIVE

Change Healthcare by Design

TEAM Page 21
#

What is
Placemaking?
Placemaking is
the creation of
quality public
spaces that
contribute to
people’s health,

happiness,
and well being
through the local
community’s

assets and
inspiration...

Designed Program Interventions

Page 22

KEY FINDINGS FROM RESEARCH

Initially our research topic was social isolation in older adults. Upon
our investigations at Laurelmead, Epoch and Hamilton House we
found that people we have interacted were very active and social yet
they had other problems such as;
-Boredom
-Intergenerational Disconnection
-Isolation from Community

“I revise Wikipedia entries to feel useful”
“I don’t have many friends left”

“I need human doses, it’s like taking a vitamin”
“At this age you don’t make many new friends”
“I wish there were more ecological groups here, I would have liked

to involve in a local community”

INSPIRATION

The Presence Project: Yarn Stormers: A street art community
that is largely composed of older adults.
“Sloganbenches”
Outdoor benches that show messages They do ephemeral interventions on
from the older adult community. public spaces using yarn.

Change Healthcare by Design

TEAM Page 23
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PLACEMAKING INITIATIVE

Placemaking initiative is a series of workshops that are presented
initially by RISD students who are interested in urban design. The
goal is to educate to greater community on techniques of guerilla
urbanism, offer advice on projects, and create inclusivity.
Workshops will include:

+Introduction to guerilla urbanism
+Brainstorming ideas
+Giving advice & guidance
+Offering connections on possible projects.

Goals:

+ Better facilitate community organizing at a grassroots level.
+ Offering connections to like minded people
+ Enhancing the environment
+++ Improving Health by;
+ Promoting socialization through collaboration
+ Physical exercise through outdoor activity
+ Therapeutic
+ Encourage technology use; social media
+ Participation in projects
+ Establishment of new relationships

Designed Program Interventions

Page 24 STAKEHOLDER VALUE MAP

INDIVIDUALS GATHERING

INDIVUDALS, COMMUNITIES, AS A SOCIAL INITIATIVE,
AND INVESTORS MAY THE GOAL IS THAT
BECOME A PART OF INDIVIDUALS, AND GROUPS
PLACEMAKING INITIATIVES, CONGREGATE TO MEET
TRANSGRESSING SOCIAL NEW PEOPLE, EXCHANGE
BOUNDARIES AND HAVING SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE,
THE OPPORTUNITY AND EXPERIENCES.
TO ENHANCE THEIR THROUGH THIS A LARGER
ENVIRONMENT. COMMUNITY WILL BE
CREATED. THIS SENSE OF
COMRADERY WILL LEAD TO
A TRANSFORMATIVE URBAN
EXPERIENCE.

Change Healthcare by Design

TEAM Page 25
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CREATING
FAMILY BUILDING

DVP

THE PLACEMAKING THE RESULT OF
INITIATIVE WILL DRAW SOCIAL URBANISM
INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL WILL INHERENTLY
WALKS OF LIFE. THIS CREATE MEMORABLE
COLLABORATION WILL RELATIONSHIPS.
LEAD TO UNIQUE PERHAPS TO THE POINT
PROGRAMMING AND IN WHICH A NEW FAMILY
CREATING OF THE URBAN IS BORN AT LEAST
ENVIRONMENT. MEANT TO WITHIN THE PROGRAM.
BE A FORM OF URBANISM, SMALL COMMUNITIES,
THIS WILL HOPEFULLY FRIENDSHIPS, AND
ATTRACT ANYONE WHO RELATIONSHIPS WILL
WANTS TO CONTRIBUTE. ALSO BUD AS A RESULT
EVERYONE’S WORTH OF UNINHIBITED
IS VALUABLE, ITS THE COLLABORATION.
HUMANITY THAT IS THE ONLY THING THAT
IMPORTANT IN THE STANDS IN THE WAY,
CREATION PROCESS. IS WALLS PUT UP BY
ONESELF.

Designed Program Interventions

Page 26 FEASABILITY/ IMPLAMENTATION /
SUSTAINABILITY

Time Line Workshop; FEASABILITY
Takes place at either RISD, These series of
Hamilton, Epoch or Laurelmead. workshops are congruent
Connecting Students with older to the organization of
adults. enthusiastic individuals
who hope to foster
Devising possible projects a change in their
Influencing creating an indepen-
dent community community.
Realization of first project in a
public place IMPLEMENTATION
We will start our
wrokshops hosted
at RISD. In efforts
of encouraging

independent creative
communties, workshops
will evetually be hosted

at neutral locations.

Reaching out to more people SUSTAINABILITY
through; The placemaking
+The traffic at public space intiative will establish an
+Social Media intrest group, therefore
is maintain so long as
there is viable interest.

Upon our research at
Laurelmead, Epoch
and Hamilton House.
New Communities are formed by Most of our participants
the people who participated in the
mentioned that they
workshops. are interested in
projects that have a
meaningful purpose.
We are expecting great
participation from these
communities. With
potential to colloborate
with already existing
pjects such as Project for
Public Spaces, Pop up
Providence Providence

Change Healthcare by Design

POSSIBLE PROJECTS TEAM Page 27
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POSSIBLE PROJECTS
-Urban Farming
-Public Space Interventions,
Ephemeral Art Installations,
Alternative seating etc.
-Public Performances; Community

POSSIBLE COLLABORATORS
-Project for Public Spaces
-Pop up Providence
-Providence Planning&Development

Image Description

Designed Program Interventions

INDEPENDENCE/
PROGRESSION/ INTEGRATION

By way of community engagement, It transcends physical infrastructure;
the urban space can be transformed why not use this as a means to
quickly, and efficiently. By starting an end. With regards to the aging
small, a wildfire of creative population, low impact, inclusive
development may begin to spread. tasks reintergrates the demographic
This tenacity however, requires in a youthful way. Giving them agency
leadership and collaboration beyond to still be productive, and motivated.
the individual. Assests such as This large part of our population is
RISD, GC: Providence, and so on; still very much useful, incorporating
have the ability to spark change them into an otherwise chastizing
and inspire the community. The society would benefit everyone.
urban environment is but a web of
relationships, and interaction.

TEAM
#

Image Description