A new perception of the daily activities among the elderly society.
“Old age is far more than white hair, wrinkles, the feeling that it is too late and the game finished, that the stage belongs to the rising generations. The true evil is not the weakening of the body, but the indifference of the soul.” Andre Maurois1
Eating, sleeping, and waking up are some of the activities that are shaping our daily life. Across life stages, our daily habits and activity patterns, evolve, remain, but also change. A baby is averaging between 12 -15 hours of sleep, whereas adults are in need between 7-9 hours of sleep. (Merck Manuals. 2013. Sleeping in infants and children)2
The variation of the activity patterns across life stages is influenced by different factors such as gender, interest, culture, origin, in particular age, which play a major role in affecting people’s daily activities.
A study was done in Berlin, by Ann L. Horgas, Hans-Ulrich Wilms, and Margret M. Baltes, in The Gerontologist3 about the daily activities during the weekdays and the weekends of elders between 70 -105 years old, based on the frequency, the duration, and the variations of the activities, but also divided into four categories. Personal maintenance, instrumental, leisure, and resting activities. The study showed that most of the elders spend their time in indoor activities such as resting, reading, watching television, or simply cooking, whereas the rest of the day is usually spent with friends, families, or a short walk in the neighborhood.
Another study was done by Anne H4. Gauthier about the historical use in the patterns of time use of older adults in the United States, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, where the study divides also the activities into three categories, housework, personal activities, and leisure activities, presents that after retiring the time spent in different activities is very limited, the physical activity is reduced, since most of the time is spent in indoor spaces, along with passive activities such as books and media “These findings lend therefore some support to claims that societies have created barriers that prevent older adults from being economically and socially more active (OECD 1998)”5.
Adjoining the previous research Margareta Carlsson-Agren, Stig Berg, Claes-Goran Daily life of the oldest Old6, did a study about elderly people living in Jonkoping in Sweden (+75), explains that the self-realizing made a long and detailed account of their daily lives. Where their mornings are mostly devoted to reading newspapers, whereas the rest of the day is either split into chatting with other people of their age, helping each other emotionally and practically, or doing some activities such as knitting. Some of them are enjoying their lives, especially when it comes to sharing their memories.
Up to now, the case studies demonstrated a daily curve on which old people spend most of their time. In the course of growing up, and getting older- elders' daily activities decrease, become monotone, and sometimes boring. In consideration of all these facts, many questions are rising about changing the elder's daily routine to as lively, and free as it was back in their childhood and adulthood. Therefore, the question would be, how can childhood, and adulthood activity patterns be interchanged with the elders’ society?
In order to find out about the possibilities of bringing out the young spirit into the elders’ souls. The research will be based in a location in Tilburg, Piushaven ( Fabriek kwartier), in consideration of its relation to the society studio.
In order to answer the main question of my research, I set up sub-questions, that I will answer throughout my research, as below :
- What are the activity patterns of children (– 12) young/adult (between 20- 55) and elderly (+60) in the Netherlands in particular Piushaven ?
- What are the common activities between the 3 stages of life?
- How is the daily routine affecting elderly people’s life?
- How does architecture affect people’s daily routines? (in general- specifically elderly
In order to answer these questions, besides the existing case studies that were discussed earlier, a series of interviews will be made from the location chosen based on their ages, relationship status, weekday activities, and weekend activities, their favorite activities, memories from their childhood, along with mapping data from CBS7, that will be taken into consideration to answer these questions.
The first interview was with Pieter, 61, a real estate, married, and has already his grandchildren, he lives in the suburbs of Eindhoven, and comes to visit his daughter who lives in Tilburg ( Piushaven).
He stated, that his fascination for horses and nature is enormous as it keeps him alive and energetic, he is not too much into technology, like a childhood memory, it was for him, missing playing with his friends with cards.
on the other hand, Evita, 72, is married, retired, and has a dog. she doesn’t go on holidays, most of the time she stays at home, calls her sons, or goes for a walk with a dog, she tries to sport two times a day, she likes to be in contact with other people, she also wishes to live by the water. She doesn’t have any childhood memory.
Whereas, Anita, 60, married, works as a coach in a psychiatric center three days a week, has two sons, and a mother whom she takes care of from time to time. She cleans her house, goes shopping, or watches TV. She values contact with people. Like a memory from her childhood, she misses playing outside.
Manon, is 80, retired, and lives by herself. She likes to bike, and spend time in her neighborhood. She has a daughter with whom she travels sometimes. She has a lot of friends, She also likes it very much nature, especially living in front of the water. She wishes she can go back to her childhood, paint, and draw like a child.
Andre, 65, married, has three children, he works for the municipality as a gardener, mostly he likes to go for a walk, or to the garden as an activity. He is also not much into technology. He likes biking and spending time with his family.
Finally, Daan, 64, is married, his sons are married as well, he still working, he likes to relax, hang out with friends, and he lives on a ship, because of the feeling of freedom, buying in contact with nature, and the whole environment, or simply travel with it, which is also part of his childhood memory, and fascination. He is excited to stop working and do different activities.
From the other side of the world, and an emotional documentary called Junk Mail8 shows the story of 98-year-old Mary. Mary lives by herself in Pennsylvania, travels on her own to a senior center each day, and spends her free time in an unexpected way, in the documentary, it says that old people are “still alive and that they are no different from when they were still young. they need to be taken seriously and valued as an active member of society.”9 Once again, and on the other side of the globe, we see elders fighting for their right to be there and contribute to society, once again we see them holding until the last minute of their lives, to enjoy it the best they can.
The statistics show the different daily activities between children, young/ adults, and seniors. according to the time spent in each activity.
The result shows that seniors and children have more activities in common especially social activities, and playful activities, besides spending more time at work and managing activities young/ adult people spend as well time in care( help), seniors.
Closing with the quote of Aristophanes10 “ The old are in a second childhood”, the research shows explicitly that, elderly people are seeking all over the globe the chance to live again and enjoy their lives, even though society has been aware for the past decades about the importance of keeping them part of the society, on the other hand, and through the interviews, the research shows how important are the space for them, the surroundings, and the activities that run around. Seniors, can still play, learn, and enjoy life as a child, work and take on some responsibilities as an adult. Elders can still enjoy their life, regularly as a young soul inside an old body, since a lot of elders still have the ability to do many activities and be involved in the society, we should prepare for them a suitable environment that will help them to refresh their young soul again.
