Perceptions of Stress and Adaptations to Stress in Residential Interiors Designed for the Older Adult: A Post-Occupancy Evaluation Case Study

Abstract

Six residents of a newly constructed apartment building designed specifically for the older adult were interviewed in a small longitudinal post-occupancy case study The study was conducted both at the time of relocation and seven months later in an effort to determine stress perceptions and any adaptations to alleviate the perceived stress. Questionnaires were used to measure perceptions of stress, specific stressors, adaptations to the environment, social climate, and overall satisfaction with the environment The builder-designer was also interviewed to determine the effectiveness of design decisions made in the construction of the building. In general, residents reported low levels of stress and high satisfaction in this environment. Factors such as limited storage space and inadequate soundproofing continued to cause slight stress after seven months of residency. In general, time did not appear to have a statistically significant effect on perceptions of stress in this small study.

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Notes on contributors

Marjorie L. Sebelius

Marjorie L Sebelius is an Instructor in Human Environmental Studies at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.

Marjorie Inman

Marjorie Inman is a Professor in the School of Human Environmental Sciences at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC.