Currently, Chinese society is undergoing a rapid process of population aging. With continuous improvements in medical standards and overall living quality, average life expectancy has steadily increased, further intensifying the aging issue. In many a...
Currently, Chinese society is undergoing a rapid process of population aging. With continuous improvements in medical standards and overall living quality, average life expectancy has steadily increased, further intensifying the aging issue. In many aging urban communities, a high concentration of elderly residents, generally low income levels, and inadequately planned or poorly configured elderly welfare facilities are common problems. At the same time, traditional home-based care and institutional care models are facing various practical limitations. In response, local governments have successively introduced relevant policies and actively promoted the development of community-based elderly welfare facilities. Against this background, the Community Care model has emerged as a new development direction for the elderly care industry and has gradually become a mainstream lifestyle choice for older adults. Field investigations reveal that some community elderly welfare centers in aging neighborhoods of Hefei City lack clear and goal-oriented interior design guidelines, resulting in insufficient consideration of the physiological and psychological characteristics of elderly users. Consequently, space utilization efficiency remains low, and elderly participation in activities is generally limited. To address these issues, this study selected the Community Elderly Welfare Center in Zhuyinli, Hefei City, as the research object and carried out a practical interior space redesign. The goal was to create an age-friendly (elderly-adapted) spatial environment that accommodates the physical characteristics of older adults, satisfies their psychological needs, and provides emotional comfort and stability. In terms of research methodology, this study first systematically reviewed theories related to emotional design and integrated Maslow’s hierarchy of needs with research in geriatric ergonomics to identify key spatial requirements for interior design targeting elderly populations. Subsequently, field surveys, questionnaire investigations, and data analysis were conducted to comprehensively examine the physiological, psychological, and behavioral characteristics of elderly users, as well as current patterns of space utilization. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to empirically verify the mechanisms through which environmental factors—namely spatiality, psychological factors, comfort, and sociality—influence elderly individuals’ psychological sense of safety and overall satisfaction. The results indicate that all four spatial factors exert significant positive effects on psychological safety, and that psychological safety plays a positive mediating role between environmental factors and satisfaction. These findings suggest that emotionally responsive spatial design constitutes an important psychological mechanism for enhancing both psychological safety and spatial satisfaction among older adults. From a design practice perspective, the interior space of the community elderly welfare center was systematically improved with a focus on safety, accessibility, and emotional experience. Based on principles of geriatric ergonomics, detailed design considerations were applied to corridor dimensions, corner treatments, handrail heights, and furniture dimensions, thereby reducing fall risks and improving mobility safety. In addition, the removal of level differences, installation of non-slip flooring, optimization of signage systems, and enhancement of lighting design strengthened elderly users’ autonomous mobility and spatial cognition. In terms of environmental atmosphere, natural lighting and ventilation were rationally organized, while soft and stable color schemes and comfortable finishing materials were applied. Acoustic environments and tactile material properties were differentiated according to functional space requirements. Regarding spatial organization, multifunctional and flexible layouts were adopted to improve space utilization efficiency, and a clear hierarchy among public, semi-public, and private spaces was established, forming a gradual spatial sequence from dynamic to static areas. Through the comprehensive application of these design strategies, this study demonstrates that community elderly welfare centers can not only meet the physiological safety and functional needs of older adults but also enhance the emotional and psychological qualities of space. Ultimately, such centers can function not merely as service-providing facilities, but as vital community hubs that promote social interaction, emotional stability, and psychological well-being among elderly residents.