ABSTRACT

Background:Mobility and independence of older adults are influenced by age-related capabilities and limitations, as well as environmental factors such as non-optimum design of public seating (e.g., inappropriate seat height, angle, and compressibility as well as armrests). This study was the first part of a multi-stage investigation of the impact of public seating on older adults. Method:One hundred and six older adults (aged 65 and over) completed an online survey regarding difficulties experienced with standing up from public seating (e.g. frequency; location; type of seating; effects). Results:A majority (59.4%) reported experiencing problems, with seat height the most common issue. Shopping malls, cafes and restaurants, doctor’s offices, outdoor locations, and public toilets were the most common locations. Effects included inconvenience, embarrassment, discomfort, pain, and needing help from another person to stand. Discussion:Further research is needed to explore the locations and features of seating that can contribute to this problem.

摘要

背景：老年人的活动能力和独立性受到与年龄相关的能力和局限性以及环境因素（例如，公共座椅的非最佳设计）（例如，座椅高度，角度和可压缩性以及扶手不当）的影响。这项研究是公共座位对老年人影响的多阶段调查的第一部分。方法：一百零六名老年人（65岁及以上）完成了关于在公共座位上站起来时遇到的困难的在线调查（例如，频率，位置，座位类型，效果）。结果：多数（59.4％）报告遇到问题，座椅高度是最常见的问题。购物中心，咖啡馆和餐馆，医生办公室，室外场所和公共厕所是最常见的场所。影响包括不便，尴尬，不适，疼痛以及需要其他人的帮助才能站起来。讨论：需要进一步研究以探索可能导致此问题的座椅的位置和功能。