THE STIGMA OF HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY: USER PARTICIPATION FOR INCLUSIVE DESIGN

Abstract

The natural aging process can lead to changes in functionality, making it necessary to access different forms of support, such as Long-Term Care Institutions for the Elderly (LTCF). However, recent studies highlight the need for a deeper understanding of the stigmas surrounding these institutions, impacting their acceptance and the way they are perceived by society. This study explored the concept of user-centered design, highlighting the functionality of these organizations to meet the different needs of residents. This is an integrative review, using publications in national and international journals as a database. In this context, an inclusive and collaborative design should be considered, contributing to the product-user interaction, adjusting to the different degrees of dependence, and sustaining the aging process autonomously and independently for the maximum amount of time, and enabling the negative recharacterization linked to LTCFs.