Category: News

According to the United Nations Population Fund, by ‘2050, one in four people in Asia and the Pacific will be over 60 years old’ with the number of people over 60 years of age tripling between 2010 and 2050, reaching about 1.3 billion people. With people living longer lives, this is ‘cause for celebration, a triumph of social, economic and technology development for a region that in the not too distance past presented a very different picture of life expectancy’, says the World Economic Forum. At the same time, this has ‘profound socio-economic, cultural and political implications’ – as well as implications for how commercial and residential buildings are built and interiors designed in the Asia Pacific region.

(Photo credit: China Daily)

The population in Asia is aging, particularly in China, where an estimated 500 million people are expected to be 60 or over by 2050, suggesting that big changes are needed in a variety of areas to meet their needs, such as in the design of senior living residences and interiors that are accessible, easy to use and support changes in health. As a result, there will be increasing demand for aged care facilities in China that are designed to meet the physical, social and health needs of retirees and elder professionals.

(Photo credit: Internet stock photo)

Service oriented and progressive design firms in China are already starting to meet the needs of this 60+ age group. Global design firm ThomsonAdsett has created the Shuangqiao Golden Homes development near the 4th Ring Road outside Beijing. This features 350 independent senior living apartments and also access to amenities and a 60-bed geriatric hospital. Another experienced develop in Seniors Living, Lendlease have been developing a Senior Living development in Qingpu Shanghai, with over 850 apartments and associated high quality services, which will see residents move in from 2021.

(Photo credit: landezine-award.com)

Interior designers, architects and specifiers will need to pay special attention to design aspects like access, mobility and ease-of-use features, especially in kitchens, bathrooms and other areas regularly used by elderly people and their families. Here in China, with an aging population and increased risk of health impairments, decreased mobility and strength, as well as an increasing awareness of and desire to protect loved ones from the effects of pollution, designers have the opportunity to create interiors that are not only functional and easy to move around in, yet also support elderly residents to have good health and a long life.

(Photo credit: Internet stock photo)

Made with reliability, ease of operation and interior design aesthetics in mind, the Australian designed and made Billi clean drinking water range aligns with best practice design – including designing for elderly and disabled people – and offers several benefits. This includes healthy, safe boiling and chilled drinking water, remote controlled functions and an easy to clean design, which can help to ensure hygienic kitchen conditions.

(Photo credit: Billi)

To learn more about designing for advanced age and disability as well as supporting user health with bacteria and virus-removing water filtration, come read this article by Billi.

In June 2019, the Life Solutions team took a weekend trip to Huangshan (Yellow Mountain). Escaping the summer heat of Shanghai, we traveled to Huangshan City for a weekend of site-seeing, teambuilding, hiking, eating, discussing our business, socializing and celebrating our achievements together. Everyone from our housekeeper to senior leaders had a great time together and built positive memories that will last for as long as the ancient mountains themselves.

Formed over 60 million years ago in Anhui province, Huangshan has been ‘held in high esteem in China’s history’ for over 1,500 years

Not only is the mountain range vast with dramatic peaks, Huangshan also has significant cultural and historical value. Legend has it that Yellow Mountain, which used to be called Yishan (Black Mountain) was where an aging Huangdi (the Yellow Emperor) went to source a magical elixir from the mountain’s unique herbs, which made him immortal. To honour Huangdi, Yishan was renamed Huangshan, Yellow Mountain

Huangshan also has strong environmental significance and draws thousands of tourists from around China and the world each year for its natural beauty. Environmental protection and sustainable use of life’s resources are at the core of Life Solutions’ mission and so visiting this beautiful, pristine region was an obvious choice for us. In 1982, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China named Huangshan a ‘site of scenic beauty and historic interest.’ Then, in 1990, Huangshan was named as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) world heritage site for its scenery and its role as a habitat for rare and threatened species’ , including both plants and animals found nowhere else in the world

After settling into our hotel, early on the second morning we set out to conquer Yellow Mountain. Carrying backpacks and water bottles and wearing raincoats we got into the gondolas in small groups and were whisked up through the rainy clouds. Half-way up, we got off the lift, regrouped then began climbing thousands of stone stairs, along with crowds of other tourists. Our journey to the top would include several of the 77 peaks that day, admiring beautiful, unique vegetation and birds. As we climbed, we felt the wind pick up strength and the rain began to fall. We held tight to the railings and massive boulders that flanked our path, thousands of feet above the valleys below. As the rain fell from the sky, filling streams, feeding plants and recharging ground water, we could see a part of the age-old water cycle happening before our eyes.

With aching limbs, cold fingers, drenched shoes yet wide smiles, we reached the summit of the majestic Lotus Peak (Lian Hua Peak). As the wind cleared away the rain, we saw a vast sea of clouds reaching out to the horizon. Finally, in the afternoon, after hours of hiking and almost a thousand meters ascended, we, together, had reached the top. We laughed and marveled at the peaks in the distance, the valleys below reminding us of the heights we had climbed together. Getting out of the city, as a team, reinforced why we do what we do at Life Solutions and the importance that a healthy environment with clean water holds in our lives.