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Legibility of floor plans and wayfinding satisfaction of residents in Care and Attention homes in Hong Kong
Author(s) -
Tao Yiqi,
Gou Zhonghua,
Lau Stephen SiuYu,
Lu Yi,
Fu Jiayan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/ajag.12574
Subject(s) - legibility , psychology , nursing homes , gerontology , medicine , nursing , business , advertising
Objective Focusing on Hong Kong Care and Attention homes which provide residential care, meals, personal care and limited nursing care for older people, this study aimed to understand the impact of floor plans’ legibility (layout and complexity) on residents’ wayfinding satisfaction and self‐reported health status. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted in nine Care and Attention homes. Space syntax, a well‐established method, was used to evaluate the legibility of their floor plans via calculating the integration value. Results Familiarity with Care and Attention homes did not influence the residents’ satisfaction with wayfinding. The integration value had a significant impact on residents’ satisfaction with wayfinding. No relationship was observed between integration value and self‐reported health status. Conclusion Increasing complexity in floor plans appears to negatively affect residents’ wayfinding satisfaction. These data suggest that circulation patterns should be improved for better wayfinding.