Design Research with Older Adults: Food-related Activities of Older Indonesian Women

Widya Ramadhani, PhD in Architecture (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), will examine the challenges and adaptation strategies of older Indonesian women to maintain their independence when conducting food-related activities at home. Her doctoral research used a cultural lens to understand the influence of sociocultural context on food-related settings and conduct. Ramadhani hopes her findings will be used in future house designs and intervention programs to support successful aging in place. She will explain how her findings offer a foundation for designing the kitchen as a space for agency and identity, to accommodate diverse physiological and contextual needs of older adults in carrying out the essential tasks of food preparation, cooking, eating, and cleaning.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the complex physiological and contextual challenges of food-related activities among older adults
• Identify design solutions to reduce challenges and support older adults’ independence in food-related activities
• Articulate the meaning of kitchen as a space for agency and identity
• Incorporate culturally-sensitive approach to design of cooking spaces for older adults