Articles

Understanding, Need, and Importance of Universal Design in Home Environment: Focusing on Patients and their Caregiver in Occupational Therapy


AUTHOR
이수정(Su-Jung Lee), 이현숙(Hyun-Suk Lee), 이경식(Kyoung-Sik Lee)
INFORMATION
page. 1~12 / No 3

e-ISSN
2671-4450
p-ISSN
1226-0134

ABSTRACT

Objective : The aim of this study is to investigate the understanding, need and importance of a universal design in home environments for patients and their caregivers who have experience in occupational therapy.Methods : The subjects of this study were 112 out-patients and their caregivers who have experience in occupational therapy at hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. A questionnaire was distributed and collected from November 27th to December 22th, 2006. The questionnaire included 51 questions (4-points) and was composed of each subject's general information, knowledge of a universal design, convenience of their home, needs, and importance of a universal design. The items concerning convenience of home, needs, and importance of a universal design were divided into home entrance, front door, room, kitchen, bathroom, facilities, and furniture that exist all around their home.Results : The subjects who had knowledge of a universal design before this study were 33.9% for patients and 35.7% for caregivers. 33.9% of patients and 57.1% of caregivers wanted to apply a universal design in their home. Areas that required a universal design were home entrance, bathroom, facilities, and furniture that exist all around the homes of both patients and their caregivers. The important areas in the application of a universal design for patients were home entrance, bathroom, and front door, while in the case of caregivers they were home entrance, kitchen, and bathroom.Conclusion : Based on the results of the survey, understanding of a universal design in patients and their caregivers was low, so informing them on the merits of a universal design in order to improve the independence of clients is needed. When occupational therapists apply a universal design to a home, they have to consider carefully the home entrance, bathroom, and kitchen.