Perceptions of Improved Spatial Usability Following Age-Friendly Renovation of an Aging Senior Center

Hee-Jun Jung; Mi-Seon Jang

doi:10.6107/JKHA.2026.37.5.055

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Perceptions of Improved Spatial Usability Following Age-Friendly Renovation of an Aging Senior Center 노후 경로당의 고령친화적 개조에 따른 공간 사용성 개선에 대한 인식

25 October 2026. pp. 055-066

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Abstract

This study aimed to examine older users’ perceived usability improvement following age-friendly spatial renovation of an old senior center after approximately two years of use. The participants were nine older adults who had continuously used the same senior center before and after the renovation. A questionnaire was conducted to assess perceived usability improvement compared with the pre-renovation condition based on retrospective evaluation, and semi-structured interviews were used to complement the quantitative findings. The results showed that participants generally perceived improvements in usability and satisfaction, with relatively high levels of improvement in frequently used indoor spaces, particularly the kitchen and living areas. In contrast, the outdoor restroom, entrance, and gate showed relatively lower levels of perceived improvement due to structural constraints and users’ experiences of the renovated environment. The findings also suggest that, as senior centers are shared facilities used by older adults with diverse physical characteristics, spatial planning should accommodate a wide range of physical abilities and daily living patterns rather than focusing on standardized solutions. In particular, the traditional raised platform (pyeongsang), reflecting Korean older adults’ sitting and resting behaviors, supported diverse resting postures and space use. This study contributes to understanding older adults’ perceived usability improvement after age-friendly renovation based on their long-term use of the renovated space and provides practical implications for future age-friendly renovation of senior centers.

Keywords

Senior Community Center

Aging-friendly Renovation

Spatial Usability

Aging-friendly Environment

키워드

경로당

고령친화 개조

공간 사용성

고령친화환경

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Information

Publisher :The Korean Housing Association
Publisher(Ko) :한국주거학회
Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Housing Association
Journal Title(Ko) :한국주거학회논문집
Volume : 37
No :5
Pages :055-066
Received Date : 2026-08-04
Revised Date : 2026-08-25
Accepted Date : 2026-08-27
DOI :https://doi.org/10.6107/JKHA.2026.37.5.055

Journal of the Korean Housing Association ISSN:2234-3571(Print) 2234-2257(Online) 한국주거학회논문집

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