Elderly_Reflection

1) What have you learnt?
 Throughout this semester, i have learnt about different techniques that i can apply to daily lives. I learnt on how to brainstorm and collate my ideas, different problem solving techniques such as S.C.A.M.P.E.R, evaluating the problem, observing the surrounding people, how to find flaws and improve on a product, modelling a product, critical thinking, problem solving. Based on 10c, I have apply creativity, communication skills with our friends by giving constructive feedbacks, critical thinking. I gained courage and confidence. It also raise intellectual curiosity when going through the process of creating the product for the elderly. I also showed full commitment to my work by doing my best.

2) What are the difficulties encountered?
Some difficulties I encountered were meeting up with the deadline. There are many other projects we need to meet the deadline, and the work is increasing. Another difficulty is in the process of creating the product. I lise down all the advantages and disadvantages of creating the product and what uses it has.3) How did you overcome the difficulties?
I ask suggestion from my friends and going through the problem slowly. I also manage my time well to meet up with  the deadline.Link your reflection based on the 10 Cs.

T4W2 Reflection

1. What are the difficulties that you have encountered during the process?
 Some of the difficulties I encountered is i need to think further down whether the product is useful or there is a need for my product. I also need to get the measurement correctly and test if my product work out.

2. How do you overcome the difficulties encountered?
With my friend's advice, i managed to change my product and think deep further about my product; the advantages and disadvantages.

3. What are the 2 key takeaways for this lesson?
I must not persevere and never give up. I also should not be self-centred and seek advice from friends as their advice might be useful. It is not easy to overcome the process.

Ergonomics(Product description and idea trigger)

The product above is called an ‘elegant smart holder’. The function of this smart holder is to hold onto things at a certain level, by hammering it onto the wall. Examples are holding onto a broom, mop and those product that have a handle. The colour of the product is plain and simple as the colour of it is neutral. It is made of metal and rubber. On its product, it is consist of a rubbery-rollers that can roll, allowing the broom to be secure inside the holder. There is also a  strong tape to paste onto the wall. It also provide screw for the product to be firm and steady on the wall. It is handy, simple, symmetrical, comfortable, user-friendly,stable and firm.

Some design considerations I could consider are that it have a rubbery-rollers which can roll so to allow the broom to be secure to the product. There are two holes at the top and bottom of the holder so that the screw could be inserted for steadiness so that the product can be strong even when hammering in onto the wall. The outer shape of the holder is curved in because it allow the rubbery-roller to be near to each other for comfort. It is safe to be use as there is a tape at the back of the roller so that I could stick onto the wall and it does not consist of any sharp objects outside the shape which could hurt the elderly. It is easy to use as we only need to insert the broom or mop in. It is productivity as some  similar kinds of holder is also sold widely in the market. The aesthetics of the holder is not up to standard.

The elderly will faced difficulty when using this product. Some of the difficulties faced is that pulling the broom out of the holder is  hard and uses a lot of force as it has to overcome the friction and the elderly strength is decreasing and its quite weak. I could improve on the aesthetic of the holder, making it easier for the elderly. We can use the techniques S.C.A.M.P.E.R and adding on a button making it easier for the elderly’s life without using much strength.

This is my new and improved design. I add a button to the holder to allow the elderly to use less force to pull out the broom and mop. It is done by the use of lever.

Ergonomics II

1. What is Ergonomics?
Ergonomics or human factors is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.

2. What are the 5 aspects of Ergonomics?
The five aspects of ergonomics are safety, comfort, ease of use, productivity/performance, and aesthetics.

3. For each aspects of Ergonomics, explain with an example of a product that is designed for the elderly, how the product meet that particular aspect of Ergonomics.
One example will be the wheelchair.

Safety:For safety, an example of a product is this. It is called the Multi-Level Hand Grip - Triple Grip Levels. It has designed grip bars provide support, safety and security in the bathroom while using the toilet, bathing, or showering. One or more bars can be installed vertically on bathtub walls or in shower stalls. Can also be installed vertically near toilets and commodes to aid in getting on and off a toilet seat. The plastic grips have grooved inner surfaces for a safe, non-slip grasp. 

Comfort & productivity: For comfort, an examples would be this product. It is a massaging chair. It is comfortable as they are equipped with multi-functions to do different things  and the textures of the seat is quite smooth and nice.

Ease of use & Aesthetics: This is a finger protector. It protects the elderly fingers from being cut. It is easy to use as we only need our fingers to slot into the holes and we can cut the fruits and vegetables.  Finger guard slips over fingers to protect from sharp knives and blades. Its quality is plastic, durable and washable. It is also come in various color and the design layout is quite simple.

Ergonomics 1

1. Compare the 2 different workplaces, state your observations.

The workplace one is quite messy, the documents and paper are cluttered up. The  workplace two is neater with all the documents organised and put into place. Workplace one is user friendly. Workplace one’s computer is bulky whereas the workplace two’s computer is slimmer. The distance is not that near and just right. The chair in workplace one is immobile and not flexible whereas workplace two is comfortable, flexible and adjustable. There are railings on workplace two which is accessible. Workplace lighting one is fixed while lightings at workplace two is mobile and adjustable to your own needs.

1. Which workplace is preferred? State with reasons why one workplace is preferred over the other.

I prefer Workplace two. Workplace two is organized, neater and all items are arranged in place. The computer is not placed on the computer so there are more space and storage for other purpose on the desk. The chair gives more freedom for easier movement. The lightings are fixed and it is user-friendly to the person who is using the desk.

1. What are the considerations that should be taken into account when designing a workplace that is suitable for the user?

The considerations are flexibility, accessibility, correct depths,heights and distance, reliability, efficiency, accuracy, and how spacious it is.

4. Why do you think that Ergonomics is important when designing?

Ergonomics is important because it gives the designers some idea and correct gauge measurements that is suitable for the working environment.

Elderly Challenge- Observation 4

For this week which is the last week, I observed the area around Clementi. I observed the areas around Clementi because my school is at Clementi so it is near there. For this week, there quite a few observations I observed around Clementi. Sadly, I forget to take pictures as I was in a hurry.

The first observation I observed for this week is that there is a overhead bridge near my school. It is quite troublesome for some of the elderly because the road is an expressway so the government could not make any traffic light there. It is inconvenient and troublesome for some of the elderly because some of them, their legs are weak and fragile so they cannot climb up the stairs. Their grip may also weakens. Furthermore, the steps are quite wide and the number of steps is quite a lot. Those who do not want to climb up the staircase, they have to walk further until they reached a junction where they can crossed the road. I think it is inconvenient for them as they need to walk a few metres and they may tire themselves due to their age. 

There was once when an elderly come up to me and ask whether there are alternatives rather than taking the stairs. I told her that they have to walk all the way to the junction. She sighed and she walked slowly with her walking stick. I feel bad. The government should do something Clementi is a place where most elderly stay. There is an elderly home near the overhead bridge so if an elderly wanted to get, does it mean that they must walk all the way to the junction and walk back to where the overhead bridge is?

Simple room layout :D

These two pictures are the layout I have sketched for the elderly’s room using google- sketch-up. The room’s layout is elderly-friendly because there are railings and the floor are rough so that there are friction and the elderly will not easily fall. The bed is quite low and there is no bed stand. It will be easier for the elderly to rest without having to climb up. There is also a sofa that is low in height so it is easier for the elderly to sit. Besides the  low sofa and bed, there is a red colour button for emergency. So if there is emergency is the room, the elderly will just have to press the button and it will alert the people outside the room. There are railings across the whole room so if the elderly has a weak legs, she/he can have the comfort to hold the railings. The toilet is also unique. There are ramp and a railings,for easy use as the toilet are a step lower than the room. Overall, I think the room is quite elderly-friendly.

Elderly Challenge- Observation 3

This week, i visited the market to observe the elderly there. I went to the market with my mum as she is buying some groceries. What I observed for this week is that the floor in the market is slippery because of the water. If the floor is wet and slippery, elderly have a higher chance to slip and fall. The impact will be greater as their bones is fragile.

Next, i observed is that there are no lifts and escalators leading to the next level. There are only staircases and the staircases are dirty and the steps are steep. The elderly may fall. Even if they hold the railings, the railing are rusty and dirty. I managed to observe one elderly woman. She was climbing up the staircase to get to the next level. She was carrying a few plastic bag. She was having her difficulties to climb up the stair. I think she must feel pain and tired. I helped her voluntarily. I feel happy that i had done a good deed. The market should at least have a lifts or escalators at least. That is observation for week 3.

Elderly Challenge- Observation 2

For this week, I went to my paternal grandmother house as she lived near me. She lives with my two aunts in a condominium with my aunt's two children. She is 77 years old and is still strong. What i observed the house concepts is that they are still using the old methods of hanging out clothes which is doing the hanging of clothes manually. During the day, my aunts and thier husbands is working. Even though they hire a maid, the maid only take care of the children. My grandmother is the one who cooks, hang out the clothes and basically the main house chores.

Like many other elderly, she had difficulties hanging out the clothes to dry. She prefers letting the clothe dry out in the sun rather than in the house. She cannot stretch her hands as her hand is quite weak and i can see her groan as the clothes hanging on  the bamboo pole is quite heavy. Furthermore, they stay at a high level so if the bamboo pole dropped, the impact will be greater. I suggest that they have an automated hanging bamboo pole installed in every apartment. Even though some of the condominium and flats already installed, only the minority. The condominium should be elderly-friendly.

The second challenges i observed is that the corridors is very narrow. The corridors are occupied with neighbour's stuffs which is bulky. It can lead to fire if the stuff are flammable. Those elderly with walking stick, wheelchair and aid will not be able to pass through as it is very narrow.

The third challenges i observed is that the floor outside the house is made of marble which is quite slippery. The cleaners mopped the floors twice a month and at that time, the cleaners are cleaning the floor. The cleaner are very irresponsible, she put the sign at only one part but the other part she did not put. The floor is slippery and the elderly may not be able to see the sign at the other part and may unknowingly fall. It will have a quite  a big impact on the elderly as their bones is fragile.They should at least put more signs telling that the floor are wet and slippery so elderly can take more precautions.

These is my observation for week 2. For week 3, i plan to observe the market and around it.

Elderly Challenge- Observation 1

For the first week, I went to my maternal grandma's house to observe her based on the task we are supposed to do. To give a rough view of my grandma, my grandmother stay with my uncle and aunt. My aunt have 4 children and she went to work. As she is working, in the day, my grandmother have to do a lot of things such as taking care of her children, cooking, as well as doing the normal house chores. My grandmother is already 79 years old yet she is still strong but i feel scared for her safety.

When i went to my grandma house, i observe her but she did not let me take a picture of her. At that time, my grandmother is cooking for the whole family for lunch. She prepare all the things and put them beside the stove. All of sudden, she dropped a plate of vegetable that she was holding. The plate break and the vegetable scattered. I helped her then i realised then she had difficulty bending down and she will feel pain after bending down. I ask her why then she say she become like that after her age was like 70 years old. I ask her a few questions. Futhermore, the kitchen tabletop is quite high so if the elderly drop anything on the floor, they will have to bend down and it cause them to have a backache.There is also no railing at my grandmother house and she have difficulties walking around so she must walk slowly. That is what i observed about the elderly for the first week

Holiday Work - Part 1: Understanding the "The Elderly Challenge"

1)Explain in your own words, the FOUR key recommendations of the report.

The four key recommendations are:

• Recommendation 1:

Housing for seniors: Building houses specially for the elderly. Singapore government will build new houses of different ranges and types to suit the needs and commitment of the elderly.  Flats and houses will be improved, renovated, upgraded and modified so that the elderly can stay in conveniently. Together with it, there will be good support care services so that people can care for the elderly. By doing this, the elderly will feel convenient at home and they will feel safe, secure, happy and lonely as people will still talk and care about them.

• Recommendation 2:

Accessibility for seniors: Modifying and changing the environment around them, making it accessible and easier for the elderly. More places in Singapore will be easy and convenient for the elderly. For examples: the transportation such as MRT, buses will be barrier-free. The elderly do not need to worry because the government will upgrade and modify the accessibility to take the various transport. There will be accessible lifts,walkways and transport pick-up points. It will be less trouble for the elderly as the the buses will have low step so people will weak legs can climb up the bus easily.

• Recommendation 3:

Caring for the seniors: More healthcare are available, the prices are affordable and the accessibility to the seniors living in the community will be easier such that there will be a few healthcare shops available at one estate. Those elderly who have medical problems will have discounts to a variety of healthcare and elderly services. By doing that, the elderly will not have to worry about financial problems and their health will be monitored and maintained.

• Recommendation 4:

Opportunities for seniors:  More organisations will organise activities and events planned for the elderly that will bond their family together. It will encourage family to go out together and their relationship will be better and understand the needs of each other. The elderly will attend some community groups when they are bored. It will help them to make new friends be it young or old.

2)State ONE way that the CAI report is recommending to make our public housing more elderly-friendly.

In the elderly public-housing, lifts, walkways, and transport pick-up points are made accessible and convenient for the elderly. As for the lifts, it will be barrier-free therefore, elderly can enter and leave the lifts easily and conveniently.

3) State TWO ways on how we can ensure that the quality of elderly care here in Singapore is affordable.

Firstly, the elderly can use their medisave to pay for the bills of the hospitals, the services and the medicines. 

Secondly, the government can give the elderly a fixed amount of money each month based on their medical consumption and their medical health. If their medical health and medicines is expensive, the government can give higher tot he elderly to pay off the bills  and medicines. 

4) After reading the CAI report, what do you think are the THREE things that you can do, as an SST student, to help overcome these elderly challenges.

As an SST student:

• I can teach them some computer skills that are basic and easier to be understood. By doing this, at least they know about the world and how modern it is now.
• I can organise a project where each of the group in our school will have to research and  out with some interesting but useful gadgets that can be useful for the elderly to overcome these challenges.
• We can visit as a group to their houses and help to clean their house. By doing this, we are doing our part to help the elderly stay in a nice and comfortable place.

For every photos, there must be a story. So, i am going to write a short write-ups about this photo. This photo is about my friends in SST. They are Yan Jin and Khim. They seems so cute in this picture and they are smiling so broadly. Continue smiling, the two of you!!!

This photograph is taken when we are in the canteen. I was inside the photograph, being forced or else Casandra, one of my closest friend won't take the picture. Woohoo, Casandra, you look great!!!

Sorry for the cramped photograph. I was here also. Sorry once again. Nur Nadiah, the person beside me is also close to me. We two were having great fun taking photographs of each other. So, all the way, Nadiahs!!! We rocks!

Define the theme-Environment

The definition of Environment:

-The natural environment, commonly referred to simply as the environment, encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. The natural environment is contrasted with the built environment, which comprises the areas and components that are strongly influenced by humans. A geographical area is regarded as a natural environment (with an indefinite articles), if the human impact on it is kept under a certain limited level.

-Climate, weather, and natural resources that affect human survival and economic activity.

Sources:

- http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/natural-environment.html

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_environment

Everything that surrounds us is an environment. We all live together in different environments, due to the different influences, causing our growth & development.So wherever we go, everything around us is environment and we must do our best to conserve the environment.

I'm not that good in art and sketching but i hope to get your support . I sketched this because everywhere we go and wherever we are, we need technology, art and media. As u can see, the world interact with one another through media and technology. And everywhere we go, there must be art-based explanation. So, imagine if life without art, media and technology??? The world will go "berserk" and i don't think people like me, who is modern, will survived even one day. Our world will be in questions and everything will mess up. So that's my explanation for my drawing.

Lesson 1-introduction of art, design, media and technology.

1. What does ADMT means to you?

It means that i should take it seriously like any other subjects as it will be assessed and tested.
2. What are the attitude that an ADMT student should have?

An ADMT student should be in the right attitude, creative, innovative and always thinking.
3. What are you aspiration as an ADMT student?

My aspiration is that i will improved in my art and have a passion of learning ADMT as i don't really like art.
4. How do you think you can achieve your aspiration?

I will pay more attention in class and be involved in any activities during ADMT lessons