本研究では、高齢者は主体的で生き生きした発達を成し遂げる存在であり、その発達を支援する生活環境を提供すべきであるという考え方に立って、１）生活環境心理学、２）生活環境論、３）環境生理学、４）バイオメカニクスの４つのアプローチを実施した。
１）では、施設関係者と共同して「主体的で生き生きとした発達を支援する生活環境づくりの基本指針」を提案した。
From a standpoint that the elderly can achieve proactive and lively development and that a living environment to support the development is to be provided, this study has taken four approaches: 1. phycology for living environment, 2. living environmentalism, 3. environmental physiology, 4. biomechanics.
As to the first approach of phycology for living environment, with collaboration from those who are engaged in nursing facilities, the study proposes "guiding principles for the creation of a living environment which supports proactive and lively development of the elderly".
２）住環境では住環境の改善によって動作の改善や生活意欲が向上するかを、食分野では味覚のメカニズムを、衣分野では高齢者おむつと生活意欲との関係から検討した。３）では、高齢者の環境移行にともなう身体・心理社会的能力がどのように変化するかを明らかにし、転倒予防や環境移行のあり方を探った。４）では、主体的な発達を促進する福祉機器の工学的工夫に関する研究を行った。
In the second approach, the research examines whether improvement on housing condition helps the elderly’s movements or increase their motivation for life. It also explores the mechanism of taste on eating environment and the correlation between adult diapers and the motivation for life on clothing environment.
For the third approach of environmental physiology, the study clarifies how physical and phycological social competence of the elderly changes as their environment shifts, and explores how prevention of falling should be done and the way environmental transition should be. In the aspect of the fourth approach of vio-mechanics, engineering innovation for welfare devices has been researched, which helps promote proactive development.
