I’m only 49 years old, and I’ve noticed an increasing
inability to hear conversations in loud restaurants. In tribes of people that have not been
exposed to modern technology, older adults have pretty much the same hearing
ability as infants. Hearing loss is
mostly caused by a lifetime of exposure to loud noises in this modern
world. Age-associated hearing loss is
the third most prevalent chronic condition among older adults. Between one third and two thirds of adults 65
years or older have hearing issues. It can be less disabling if building designers
use specific knowledge and skill to design spaces that help with this problem.
Hearing loss isn’t just about volume level reduction. High frequency sounds such as consonants are
the first to go while the vowels may still be loud, making speech difficult to
understand. It also becomes more difficult to separate sounds and detect where
the sound is coming from. For speech to
be understood by the hard of hearing, the volume must be louder and reflected
sound and background noise must be reduced.
Additionally, “head noise” or Tinnitus often accompanies hearing loss. People who suffer from hearing loss often
become withdrawn or irritable for good reason.
People with hearing loss often rely on lip reading to help them
ascertain what’s being discussed, so it’s important to provide good light
levels in spaces for older adults.
Noise is simply unwanted sound. It’s annoying and it’s fatiguing regardless
of someone’s age, and more so for an older person. When space planning, designers should locate
noisy activities away from private areas.
Doors that face each other create sound problems, so their placement
should be offset. It’s also best not to
place other elements back to back, such as electrical outlets, showers, and
medicine cabinets, because sound can travel from space to another. Good insulation in the walls is also
key.
Sound reverberates when floors, walls, and ceilings are all
hard surfaces, and designers should select interior surfaces, materials, and
furniture that do not reflect or amplify sound.
A high-quality acoustical ceiling tile is one of the best ways to
control sound. Ceiling fixtures with
solid plastic lenses reflect sound.
Using sound absorbent materials on floors, walls, and windows is a great
way of improving noise levels. Carpet
alone doesn’t provide enough sound absorption because it’s too low. Drapery also can’t be relied on solely
because drapes would need to be very heavy, like velvet, to do much, and that
would block out daylight. Light fixtures
can create unwanted sound reflections, and lights with plastic lenses should be
minimized.
Well-insulated walls, and insulation above the walls and
sound boots at the HVAC penetrations help prevent sound from traveling between spaces. A sound absorbent material should be used in
the floors to prevent sound traveling between floors. Eliminating gaps in materials by caulking
with acoustical sealant has a dramatic impact.
Doors and windows should be well sealed with gaskets and sound dampening
features. Panic hardware on doors can be
loud when used, so selecting a less noisy model is recommended. Interior windows between spaces can be
laminated. Double or triple-glazed
exterior windows is recommended to keep noise out from the outside. Sound
cancelling systems that assess the frequency of noise and emit sound waves to
cancel it can be used as a last resort for poorly designed facilities that are
already built.
Although all the above are good design practices and should
really be implemented for all buildings, they’re especially important when
designing buildings and interior spaces for older people. More than 11 million older people have
significantly impaired hearing. As
designers, we have a responsibility to understand the biology of the people for
which we are designing spaces. Building
design isn’t only about aesthetics or even life safety. It’s about improving lives whenever possible.
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