Kitchen living
Introduction
The research was grounded in secondary analysis of two existing data sets:
the EPSRC EQUAL funded: 'Profiling the Housing Stock for Older People'
the ESRC funded: 'Environment and Identity in Later Life'.
Guided by this research, a purposive sample of 48 older people (12 from each age-group) participated through in-depth oral histories of kitchen living; contemporary assessment of individual health and wellbeing, and ergonomic assessment of present kitchens using photography and video to capture opinions and behaviours within the kitchen.
This research contributed to the oral history of kitchen design; provided greater understanding of person/environment fit in terms of individual health and wellbeing, and led to more inclusive design through the development of a Life Long Kitchen Guide to enhance existing guidance on kitchen design. It was also intended that the Guide would be brought to life by extracts of people’s experiences of kitchen life.
Investigator
Sheila Peace (Principal Investigator), The Open University
Team
Martin Maguire, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University
Colette Nicolle, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University
Clare Lawton, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University
Russell Marshall, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University
Ruth Sims, Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University
Leonie Kellaher, London Metropolitan University
John Percival, Faculty of Health & Social Care, The Open University
Karen Francis, Research Secretary, Faculty of Health & Social Care, The Open University
Advisory group
Jane Palmer and Stewart Jones, Age Concern Milton Keynes
Alison Wright, Royal College of Art, Managing Director of Easy Living Home
Pat Strachan, Care and Repair England
Caroline Jacobs and David Yelding, Ricability
Cathy Bailey, Ethnographer, University of Northumbria
Maggie Winchcombe, Years Ahead
Dr Caroline Holland, FHSC
Maurice Heather, PRP Architects
Anthony Slater, Thomas Pocklington Trust
Hilary McQueen, Faculty of Science, The Open University
Elizabeth Silva, Faculty of Social Sciences, The Open University
Teresa Lefort, Mary Sinfield and Diane Andrewes from the NDA Older People's Research Group
Contact
Sheila Peace
Tel: +44 1908 654240Karen Francis
Tel: +44 1908 654217
Background
For people of all ages, the kitchen can be the central hub of their home, a place of person-environment interaction that has a major influence on their individual health and well-being.
Both public and domestic kitchens have been studied by researchers from many disciplines: social scientists, biologists, food scientists, architects, designers and ergonomists. Yet, at the time of the project, there was a lack of integrated multi-disciplinary research concerning kitchen living in later life and this person-environment interaction formed the focus of this project.
The kitchen provides an essential laboratory for focusing on active ageing within the built environment, addressing how autonomy and independence are promoted or hampered through personal history, current health and wellbeing, and design and technological intervention.
For those whose remit is to design or adapt the built environment to meet the needs of an ageing population, the kitchen alongside the bathroom is seen as an essential space for maintaining personal autonomy in both ‘ordinary’ and ‘supportive’ housing.
Yet research shows that within contemporary supportive housing, kitchens in individual living can be challenging spaces with people commenting on problems with kitchen layout, reaching and bending, accessibility, ventilation, trouble with washing and drying clothes and unsatisfactory provision for recycling.
At the time of the project, there was a need for a more holistic view of how older people experience their contemporary kitchens, its links to other parts of the home, and the impact of the historical experience of kitchen living for different generations.
Aims and objectives
The overall aim of this project was to investigate historically and contemporarily the experience of the kitchen for people in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s living in a variety of ‘ordinary’ and ‘supportive’ housing in urban and rural locations in England.
Cross-generational perspectives on specific life events contributed a historical understanding to the use of the contemporary kitchen.
The objectives were to
provide a historical and contemporary understanding of the material, social and psychological environments of kitchen experience guided by life events
provide a contemporary understanding of the kitchen examining role, function and design utilising visual techniques to understand activities
consider person-environment fit through the juxtaposition of individual health and wellbeing, kitchen living and the potential for improving the kitchen to meet needs
extend theoretical development in environmental gerontology through focused multidisciplinary research
develop methodological systems for capturing and analysing data that are historical and contemporary; individual and contextual; qualitative and quantitative
develop a resource of stories, experiences and guidelines for older people, OTs and kitchen designers that provide an understanding of user requirements for inclusive kitchen design or adaptation
establish a data bank concerning kitchen living in later life that can be archived
Design
The research involved both secondary analysis of existing data sets and new empirical work.
Secondary analysis of data sets
The research was grounded in secondary analysis of two existing data sets: the EPSRC EQUAL funded: 'Profiling the Housing Stock for Older People: the transition from domesticity to care’ (1998-2002), and the ESRC funded: 'Environment and Identity in Later Life' (1999-2003).
New empirical study of kitchen living
Purposive sample
Research was carried out in England and aimed to include a purposive sample of 48 households (individual older people or couples; 12 from each age-group: 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s) living in the current range of domestic and supportive housing. Participants lived in both urban and rural/semi-rural locations.
Methods
Following a careful piloting exercise, each participant was involved in two interviews within their own home covering kitchen oral history and the current kitchen.
The first meeting included
short questionnaires to ascertain various background information
in-depth oral history interview focusing on kitchen living across the life course
a review of architectural design layout and features of accommodation
a reflection on kitchen experiences.
The second meeting included
a review of the likes, dislikes and problems when using the current kitchen using an ergonomic checklist
a photographic record to support this
in-depth interviews focused on current kitchen usage looking at access from the kitchen to other parts of the home and to the outside, food preparation, ventilation, storage, lighting, visual issues, re-cycling, support for animals.
It is also planned that there will be follow-up recording and evaluation of a small number of tasks in the kitchen.
As part of the second interview lighting measurements were taken to assist in the work of the Thomas Pocklington’s Trust. UK charity providing housing, care and support services for people with sight loss.
Catches placed lower on windows
Outcomes
Outcomes of the project:
A detailed report presenting an understanding of kitchen life for people as they get older for all those involved in the maintenance, adaptation and design of kitchens as well as policy-makers concerned with addressing housing needs in later life.
An on-line design resource incorporating people’s stories and experiences of kitchen life that will aid the development of guidance to facilitate more inclusive kitchens and support transitions in later life.
A guide for older people (also of value to health and social care professionals, kitchen designers and others) to help them modify their kitchens as their needs change.
Further academic development of the understanding of person-environment fit through multi-disciplinary research reported at conferences and through a wide range of publications.
Archiving of oral history data concerning the experience of the kitchen throughout the life course.
Corner cupboard and carousel
Policy implications
The ‘Transitions in Kitchen Living’ (TiKL) project had the potential for a number of policy impacts.
Key policy and/or practice implications of the research
Policy and practice implications focussed on developing ways of enabling the experiences of older people living in a wide-range of housing types and with diverse experience of kitchens and kitchen equipment across the life course to influence future design and adaptation of dwellings, and future social policy and practice regarding occupational therapy and social care.
These may include
providing examples of best self-help practice for older people with issues relating to - cooking, dish washing, clothes’ washing, food storage, refrigeration - conducting these activities in safety and comfort
guidance on modifying a person’s kitchen over time to meet changing needs
recommendations on illumination, energy efficiency, handling waste and recycling
Key non-academic user groups that were targeted
Through access to the online design resource the following groups were targeted:
Older people living in ‘ordinary’ housing and ‘supportive’ housing
Assisted Living proprietors and companies
Designers and builders of housing for older people
Charities and other organisations representing older people - living in the community, supportive housing and care homes
Health and social care professionals
Educators and trainers of health and social care professionals
Lighting and other equipment manufacturers
Assistance needed from the NDA programme in this targeting
A high corporate and political profile for the overall NDA programme will facilitate maximisation of the policy and practice impact of TiKL
Targeted press releases and promotion of findings to a wide range of experts and non-user groups.
Facilitation of contacts with experts and non-academic user groups.
Support to develop and produce targeted user-friendly information and recommendations in hard copy and on the web.