IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i6p935-d214124.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Living Environment and Thermal Behaviours of Older South Australians: A Multi-Focus Group Study

Author

Listed:
  • Joost van Hoof

    (Faculty of Social Work & Education, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, Johanna Westerdijkplein 75, 2521 EN Den Haag, The Netherlands
    Department of Spatial Economy, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. Grunwaldzka 55, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Helen Bennetts

    (School of Architecture and Built Environment, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia)

  • Alana Hansen

    (School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia)

  • Jan K. Kazak

    (Department of Spatial Economy, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Geodesy, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, ul. Grunwaldzka 55, 50-357 Wrocław, Poland)

  • Veronica Soebarto

    (School of Architecture and Built Environment, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia)

Abstract

Ageing brings about physiological changes that affect people’s thermal sensitivity and thermoregulation. The majority of older Australians prefer to age in place and modifications to the home environment are often required to accommodate the occupants as they age and possibly become frail. However, modifications to aid thermal comfort are not always considered. Using a qualitative approach this study aims to understand the thermal qualities of the existing living environment of older South Australians, their strategies for keeping cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather and to identify existing problems related to planning and house design, and the use of heating and cooling. Data were gathered via seven focus group sessions with 49 older people living in three climate zones in South Australia. The sessions yielded four main themes, namely ‘personal factors’, ‘feeling’, ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’. These themes can be used as a basis to develop information and guidelines for older people in dealing with hot and cold weather.

Suggested Citation

  • Joost van Hoof & Helen Bennetts & Alana Hansen & Jan K. Kazak & Veronica Soebarto, 2019. "The Living Environment and Thermal Behaviours of Older South Australians: A Multi-Focus Group Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-19, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:6:p:935-:d:214124
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/6/935/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/6/935/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alana Hansen & Peng Bi & Monika Nitschke & Dino Pisaniello & Jonathan Newbury & Alison Kitson, 2011. "Perceptions of Heat-Susceptibility in Older Persons: Barriers to Adaptation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Diane Bélanger & Pierre Gosselin & Pierre Valois & Belkacem Abdous, 2014. "Perceived Adverse Health Effects of Heat and Their Determinants in Deprived Neighbourhoods: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Nine Cities in Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-26, October.
    3. Joost Van Hoof & Jan K. Kazak & Jolanta M. Perek-Białas & Sebastiaan T. M. Peek, 2018. "The Challenges of Urban Ageing: Making Cities Age-Friendly in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, November.
    4. Bickerstaff, Karen & Devine-Wright, Patrick & Butler, Catherine, 2015. "Living with low carbon technologies: An agenda for sharing and comparing qualitative energy research," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 241-249.
    5. Aneta Wierzbicka & Eja Pedersen & Roger Persson & Birgitta Nordquist & Kristian Stålne & Chuansi Gao & Lars-Erik Harderup & Jonas Borell & Héctor Caltenco & Barry Ness & Emilie Stroh & Yujing Li & Mat, 2018. "Healthy Indoor Environments: The Need for a Holistic Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-13, August.
    6. Miller, Wendy & Vine, Desley & Amin, Zakaria, 2017. "Energy efficiency of housing for older citizens: Does it matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 216-224.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Joost van Hoof & Hannah R. Marston, 2021. "Age-Friendly Cities and Communities: State of the Art and Future Perspectives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-13, February.
    2. Fenfen Zhou & Wensu Zhou & Wenjuan Wang & Chaonan Fan & Wen Chen & Li Ling, 2022. "Associations between Frailty and Ambient Temperature in Winter: Findings from a Population-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-16, December.
    3. Helen Bennetts & Larissa Arakawa Martins & Joost van Hoof & Veronica Soebarto, 2020. "Thermal Personalities of Older People in South Australia: A Personas-Based Approach to Develop Thermal Comfort Guidelines," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-22, November.
    4. AnneMarie Eijkelenboom & Marco A. Ortiz & Philomena M. Bluyssen, 2021. "Preferences for Indoor Environmental and Social Comfort of Outpatient Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic, an Explanatory Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-22, July.
    5. Barun Mukhopadhyay & Charles A. Weitz, 2022. "Heat Exposure, Heat-Related Symptoms and Coping Strategies among Elderly Residents of Urban Slums and Rural Vilages in West Bengal, India," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, September.
    6. Katarzyna Przybyła & Maria Hełdak & Izabela Kurtyka-Marcak, 2019. "Demand for a Housing Offer Addressed to Senior Citizens in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-17, November.
    7. Joost van Hoof & Deirdre M. Beneken genaamd Kolmer & Erwin de Vlugt & Sanne I. de Vries, 2019. "Quality of Life: The Interplay between Human Behaviour, Technology and the Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-7, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Anna Malmquist & Mattias Hjerpe & Erik Glaas & Hulda Karlsson-Larsson & Tina Lassi, 2022. "Elderly People’s Perceptions of Heat Stress and Adaptation to Heat: An Interview Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    2. Fleckinger, Pierre & Glachant, Matthieu & Tamokoué Kamga, Paul-Hervé, 2019. "Energy Performance Certificates and investments in building energy efficiency: A theoretical analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(S1).
    3. Sharon L. Campbell & Carina C. Anderson & Amanda J. Wheeler & Stephen Cook & Tim Muster & Fay H. Johnston, 2022. "Managing Extreme Heat and Smoke: A Focus Group Study of Vulnerable People in Darwin, Australia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-15, October.
    4. Bo Yang & Ming-Han Li & Shujuan Li, 2013. "Design-with-Nature for Multifunctional Landscapes: Environmental Benefits and Social Barriers in Community Development," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-26, October.
    5. Mingyu Sun & Leizi Min & Na Xu & Lei Huang & Xuemei Li, 2021. "The Effect of Exercise Intervention on Reducing the Fall Risk in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-14, November.
    6. Katrien Luijkx & Leonieke van Boekel & Meriam Janssen & Marjolein Verbiest & Annerieke Stoop, 2020. "The Academic Collaborative Center Older Adults: A Description of Co-Creation between Science, Care Practice and Education with the Aim to Contribute to Person-Centered Care for Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-14, December.
    7. Adriana Luciano & Federica Pascale & Francesco Polverino & Alison Pooley, 2020. "Measuring Age-Friendly Housing: A Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-35, January.
    8. Fariha Hasan & Shayan Marsia & Kajal Patel & Priyanka Agrawal & Junaid Abdul Razzak, 2021. "Effective Community-Based Interventions for the Prevention and Management of Heat-Related Illnesses: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-14, August.
    9. Shi, Zhengyu & Wu, Libo & Zhou, Yang, 2023. "Predicting household energy consumption in an aging society," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 352(C).
    10. Susan Williams & Peng Bi & Jonathan Newbury & Guy Robinson & Dino Pisaniello & Arthur Saniotis & Alana Hansen, 2013. "Extreme Heat and Health: Perspectives from Health Service Providers in Rural and Remote Communities in South Australia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, October.
    11. Fátima Lima & Paula Ferreira & Vítor Leal, 2022. "The Role of Energy Affordability in the Relationship between Poor Housing and Health Status," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-17, November.
    12. Kwok-kin Fung & Shirley Suet-lin Hung & Daniel W. L. Lai & Michelle H. Y. Shum & Hong-wang Fung & Langjie He, 2023. "Access to Information and Communication Technology, Digital Skills, and Perceived Well-Being among Older Adults in Hong Kong," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-11, June.
    13. McKenzie H. Tilstra & Ishwar Tiwari & Leigh Niwa & Sandra Campbell & Charlene C. Nielsen & C. Allyson Jones & Alvaro Osornio Vargas & Okan Bulut & Bernadette Quemerais & Jordana Salma & Kyle Whitfield, 2021. "Risk and Resilience: How Is the Health of Older Adults and Immigrant People Living in Canada Impacted by Climate- and Air Pollution-Related Exposures?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-22, October.
    14. Maša Filipovič Hrast & Richard Sendi & Boštjan Kerbler, 2023. "Person–Environment Fit in Urban Neighbourhoods in Slovenia: Challenges and Coping Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-14, March.
    15. Sabrina K. Beckmann & Michael Hiete, 2020. "Predictors Associated with Health-Related Heat Risk Perception of Urban Citizens in Germany," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-11, January.
    16. Frans Sengers & Alexander Peine, 2021. "Innovation Pathways for Age-Friendly Homes in Europe," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-25, January.
    17. Kaddour Mehiriz & Pierre Gosselin & Isabelle Tardif & Marc-André Lemieux, 2018. "The Effect of an Automated Phone Warning and Health Advisory System on Adaptation to High Heat Episodes and Health Services Use in Vulnerable Groups—Evidence from a Randomized Controlled Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-13, July.
    18. Kathryn Glass & Peter W. Tait & Elizabeth G. Hanna & Keith Dear, 2015. "Estimating Risks of Heat Strain by Age and Sex: A Population-Level Simulation Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, May.
    19. Katarzyna Przybyła & Maria Hełdak & Izabela Kurtyka-Marcak, 2019. "Demand for a Housing Offer Addressed to Senior Citizens in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-17, November.
    20. Joost van Hoof & Hannah R. Marston, 2021. "Age-Friendly Cities and Communities: State of the Art and Future Perspectives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-13, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:6:p:935-:d:214124. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.