Design for healthy ageing – the relationship between design, well-being, and quality of life: a review

Although people are living longer, well-being and quality of life (QoL) are not guaranteed. The built environment is recognized as influencing health outcomes across lifespans. This narrative review takes a cross-disciplinary approach to understand the current evidence of the relationship between design, healthy ageing and QoL. Diverse methods were used to search for relevant literature, including database, and reference list search. Sixty-five papers were deemed relevant and included in this review. Seven main themes emerged through inductive thematic analysis. The extracted literature suggests there is good evidence for the role of biophilia, and indoor environmental quality; emerging evidence for technology, wayfinding, and opportunities for social interactions; but limited evidence for safety/security and adaptability/fit. One significant consideration for healthy ageing was older adults maintaining agency in their lives, including the ability to exert control over their environment in order to support healthy ageing. Design decisions have a significant impact on the health and well-being of older adults, but these decisions are often made in the absence of strong scientific evidence. This review sets out to assist decision-makers to consider design principles that support healthy ageing.