All Issue

2026 Vol.37, Issue 1 Preview Page

Research Article

An Exploratory Case Study on the Effects of Age-Friendly Home Modifications Using Sensor-Based Activity Data

센서 기반 활동량 자료를 활용한 고령친화 주택개조의 탐색적 사례 연구

Yongmin Lee1
,
Ji-Soo Yim2
이 용민1
,
임 지수2
1정회원(주저자, 교신저자), ㈜내집연구소 대표이사
2정회원(공동저자), ㈜내집연구소 기업부설연구소 팀장
Corresponding AuthorYongmin Lee, Head of the Corporate Affiliated Research Center, MyHome Lab Co., Ltd., 101 56, Subyeon-ro, Bupyeong-gu, Incheon, 21402, Korea. E-mail: ihousinglab@gmail.com
25 February 2026. pp. 081-090
PDF XML Citation
Abstract

Aging in Place (AIP) has emerged as a key policy objective, emphasizing the importance of age-friendly home modifications that enable older adults to live safely and independently. Despite growing policy interest, empirical evidence on the actual effects of such modifications remains limited. This study empirically examines the impact of age-friendly home modifications on daily activity levels, subjective safety perceptions, and AIP awareness among older adults. The analysis focuses on eight single-person households participating in the “iH-type Customized Age-Friendly Home Modification Program.” Daily activity data were collected using motion sensors installed in bedrooms, bathrooms, and entrances for two weeks before and after the modifications. In addition, structured interviews were conducted to assess changes in perceived safety and AIP-related awareness.Results show that overall daily activity levels increased following the modifications, with notable increases observed in bedrooms and entrances. In some cases, reduced activity reflected the elimination of unnecessary or unstable movements, indicating improved safety and movement efficiency rather than functional decline. Subjective perceptions of mobility, physical and emotional safety, and the usability of assistive devices improved, while perceived fall risk decreased. Awareness of AIP—particularly regarding continued residence and housing suitability—also increased substantially. These findings provide empirical evidence that age-friendly home modifications enhance both functional activity and psychological safety, supporting AIP.

Keywords
Elderly Housing
Age-Friendly Home Modification
Sensor-Based Activity Analysis
Aging in Place
키워드
노인 주거
고령친화 주택개조
센서 기반 활동량 분석
지역사회 계속거주
References
1

Bell, P. A., Greene, T. C., Fisher, J. D., & Baum, A. (2001). Environmental Psychology (5th ed.). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt College Publishers.

2

Delbaere, K., Crombez, G., Vanderstraeten, G., Willems, T., & Cambier, D. (2004). Fear-related avoidance of activities, falls and physical frailty. Age and Ageing, 33(4), 368-373.

10.1093/ageing/afh106
3

Golant, S. M. (2011). The quest for residential normalcy by older adults. Journal of Aging Studies, 25(1), 1-14.

10.1016/j.jaging.2011.03.003
4

Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation (2025). Senior Safety Housing Improvement Program Retrieved https://www.gh.or.kr/gh/safety-housing-business-overview.do?utm_source=chatgpt.com

5

Incheon Housing and City Development Corporation (2025). iH-type Customized Age-Friendly Home Modification Program Retrieved from https://www.ih.co.kr/main/land/landDetail.do?land_seq=128&utm_source=chatgpt.com

6

Iwarsson, S., & Slaug, B. (2010). Housing Environments and Health of Older People. Gothenburg: Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments (CASE).

7

Kim, D., Bian, H., Chang, C. K., Dong, L., & Margrett, J. (2022). In-Home Monitoring Technology for Aging in Place: Scoping Review. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 11(2), e39005.

10.2196/3900536048502PMC9478817
8

Kim, J. E., Lee, B. R., Nam, W. S., & Lee. M. Y. (2019). Policy suggestions for age-friendly home modification. Seoul: SH Urban Research Institute

9

Lawton, M. P. (1982). Competence, environmental press, and the adaptation of older people. In Aging and the Environment: Theoretical Approaches (pp. 33-59). New York: Springer.

10

Lee, Y. S., Jeon, E. J., Cho, S. Y., & Park, M. A. (2021). Post-occupancy evaluation of customized home modification for oelderly living with family members. Journal of the Korea Institute of Spatial Design, 16(8), 483-498.

10.35216/kisd.2021.16.8.483
11

Lee, Y. S., Jeon, E. J., Cho, S. Y., & Park, M. A. (2022). A Post-occupancy evaluation on the modified ailing home by customization for older elderly couple with chronic disease. Journal of the Korean Housing Association, 33(1), 191-205.

10.6107/JKHA.2022.33.1.191
12

Ministry of Health and Welfare (2023). Ensuring safety at home without falls: Implementation of the pilot program for home safety environment improvement for community-dwelling older adults under long-term care insurance. Press release.

13

Oh, B. N., & Han, S. W. (2022). The effect of safety risk factor reducation through home modification on the level of fuctional disabiliy in the elderly : Focusing on community care project. The Journal of Korean Society of Community Based Occupational Therapy, 12(3), 1-13.

10.18598/kcbot.2022.12.3.01
14

Oswald, F., Wahl, H.-W., Schilling, O., Nygren, C., Fänge, A., ... Iwarsson, S. (2006). Relationships between housing and healthy aging in very old age. The Gerontologist, 46(1), 96-107.

10.1093/geront/47.1.96
15

Rapoport, A. (1982). The Meaning of the Built Environment: A Nonverbal Communication Approach. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications.

16

Rashidi, P., & Cook, D. J. (2016). Smart homes and home health monitoring technologies for older adults: A systematic review. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 63, 1-14.

17

Sixsmith, A., Sixsmith, J., Fänge, A. M., Naumann, D., Kucsera, C., ... Woolrych, R. (2014). Healthy ageing and home: The perspectives of very old people in five European countries. Social Science & Medicine, 106, 1-9.

10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.01.006
18

Tinetti, M. E., Richman, D., & Powell, L. (1990). Falls efficacy as a measure of fear of falling. Journal of Gerontology, 45(6), P239-P243.

10.1093/geronj/45.6.P239
19

Wahl, H. W., Iwarsson, S., & Oswald, F. (2012). Aging well and the environment: Toward an integrative model and research agenda for the future. The Gerontologist, 52(3), 306-316.

10.1093/geront/gnr154
20

Wiles, J. L., Leibing, A., Guberman, N., Reeve, J., & Allen, R. E. (2012). The meaning of “aging in place” to older people. The Gerontologist, 52(3), 357-366.

10.1093/geront/gnr098
Information
  • Publisher :The Korean Housing Association
  • Publisher(Ko) :한국주거학회
  • Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Housing Association
  • Journal Title(Ko) :한국주거학회논문집
  • Volume : 37
  • No :1
  • Pages :081-090
  • Received Date : 2025-12-26
  • Revised Date : 2026-01-19
  • Accepted Date : 2026-01-23
  • DOI :https://doi.org/10.6107/JKHA.2026.37.1.081
Journal Informaiton Journal of the Korean Housing Association Journal of the Korean Housing Association
Archives
: the Korean Housing Association
  • NRF
  • KOFST
  • crossref crossmark
  • crossref cited-by
  • crosscheck
  • orcid
Journal Informaiton Journal Informaiton - close