Many older people are facing various risks of cognitive impairment, while outdoor activities in open spaces may be helpful for their cognitive health. However, the effect of open spaces on cognitive health is unclear. This study aims to investigate the relationships between the cognitive health of older people and the built environment of open spaces. A questionnaire survey of 60 older people aged 60 and above was conducted. Results identified three major components of the built environment of open spaces, namely, planning, supporting facilities, and building services. According to the correlation and regression analysis, it is revealed that 8 BEOS items, including green ratio, a width of the pathway, maintenance of the whole garden, the color of green space, diversity of plants, location, and font of signage, artificial light of sitting area were positively related to memory, while only the size was negatively associated with memory. Only the green ratio could positively predict the concentration. The judgment was positively influenced by the green ratio, width of pathways, maintenance of the whole garden, color of green space and diversity of plants. A BEOS – cognitive health model for older people was built in this study. The results highlighted the importance of plants for cognitive health. Several recommendations, such as not-so-large sizes and diverse plants with vivid colors and signages with big fonts, etc., were proposed to improve the built environment of the open spaces and support the declining cognitive health of older people.

The construction industry is notorious for stressful jobs, particularly for ethnic minority construction workers (EM-CWs), who experience complicated issues in the host country. Despite the high-level stress of EM-CWs compared to native construction workers, the particular coping behaviors of EM-CWs is unclear. Due to their cultural differences, religious beliefs, and possible stigma related to sharing feelings, typical stress management strategies may not be effective in relieving the stress of EM-CWs. To manage the stress of EM-CWs and also to benefit organizational productivity, it is important to identify the specific coping behaviors adopted by EM-CWs in response to stress. Therefore, this study aims to explore the stress management factors of EM-CWs. Six focus group discussions were conducted, made up of five EM-CWs groups (three general worker groups and two skilled worker groups) and one group of foremen. Contextual analysis was used to analyze the focus groups’ qualitative data. The study identified 11 items of stress for EM-CWs in two major categories: emotional and physical stress. In addition to problem-focused (i.e., planned problem-solving, seeking instrumental support, and cognitive appraisal) and emotion-focused coping behaviors (i.e., seeking emotional support, emotional discharge, and escapism), the current study also explored religious-focused coping behaviors (i.e., religious practice, service, and meditation) of EM-CWs. The findings advance coping-behavior literature by addressing important features of religious coping behaviors in the construction industry. The study explored the unique stress management factors of EM-CWs, which can be used to manage the stress of EM-CWs, improve their stress management approaches, and design various stress management programs for EM-CWs. Furthermore, several recommendations were made in initiating time management training, encouraging organizations to consider mental health needs in the construction industry, acknowledging the specific cultural context of EM-CWs, striving to reduce the stigma around sharing emotions under stress, facilitating an adequate on-site environment to practice religion, and introducing mindfulness programs to relieve EM-CW stress and improve their performance.

Depression has emerged as a prevalent psychological disease among older people, causing severe disruption to patients and society. Lighting in the built environment plays a powerful role in relieving depression. However, the varied impacts of different lighting effects and specific areas have not been clearly clarified or effectively implemented. This study established a Lighting Effects–Depression Model and investigated relationships between lighting effects in areas of care and attention homes and depression in older people. A quantitative survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with older residents from care and attention homes. On-site observations were used to investigate lighting conditions and installations. Lighting effects (uniformity, navigation, colour, glare) of bedrooms, corridors, and dining rooms on depression (lack of energy, sleep disorders, task performance decline, low life satisfaction, low self-satisfaction, negative feelings) were analyzed. The results indicated significant influences of colour improving task performance, while glare induced sleep disorders across all areas examined. Furthermore, navigation and uniformity in bedrooms positively impacted depression via self-satisfaction and life satisfaction. Recommendations for utilizing lighting effects were proposed to relieve depressive symptoms in older people in care and attention homes.

The global ageing tendency underscores the necessity for indoor building services to accommodate the needs of older adults. Bedroom lighting services encompass both natural and electric lighting as well as supporting facilities such as light control, shading devices, and anti-reflection finishes. It facilitates visual interactions between occupants and their living environment. The user experience of older people reflects the extent to which current bedroom lighting services address their needs, which significantly influences their well-being in later years. Key aspects valued by older users can be divided into the sufficiency of task lighting, evenness during movement, navigation in the room, convenience, likability, and comfort. Aiming to reveal the influence of existing lighting services on user experience, this study conducted an on-site measurement and questionnaire survey with older people in personal living units. Three items of bedroom lighting service (i.e., natural light, electric light, and shading device) significantly impacted three dimensions of the user experience, including sufficiency, evenness, and navigation. Furthermore, the aforementioned user experience items were interrelated with convenience and likability. On the basis of the correlation results, the Bedroom Lighting Services-User Experience Model was built. Feasible recommendations were proposed for older people living in their own houses. Enhancing user experience is expected to contribute positively to the well-being and health of older adults, aligning with the "Ageing in Place" strategy and fostering the development of ageing-friendly living environments.

Ageing-friendly supporting facilities are commonly implemented in residential care homes for older people. These facilities not only support the daily activities of older people but also affect their physical and psychological health. However, the development of ageing-friendly supporting facilities usually varies among homes due to differences in construction and operational funding. In order to better accommodate older residents, it is essential to compare the ageing-friendly supporting facilities across different residential care homes and identify the key variances. A total of 69 samples were collected from two primary categories of residential care homes in China, namely self-financed homes and government-subsidized homes. Eighteen ageing-friendly supporting facilities items were identified. An independent T-test was applied to compare the significant differences between the two types of residential care homes. Both categories received relatively high scores for supporting facilities related to accessibility and safety (e.g., the height of the toilet, ease of using beds, anti-collision facilities for wheelchair users, etc.), particularly in self-financed residential homes. However, leisure facilities in self-financed residential homes were thanfound to be significantly inferior compared to those in government-subsidized homes. To further understand the needs of older residents, the characteristics (i.e., gender and level of independence) were also considered. Female older people tended to be more particular about regular cleaning, similar to independent residents. Moreover, older people requiring special care rated leisure facilities lower than the independent individuals. Based on the findings, practical recommendations were provided for improving ageing-friendly supporting facilities in both types of residential care homes, with the aim of enhancing the living environment and the well-being of older residents.

Purpose: Long-term care homes (LCHs) are crucial in supporting older adults and promoting their health and quality of life. The supportive features in these homes often vary depending on funding sources, which directly impacts the well-being of residents in late life. This study aims to compare the evaluations from older residents regarding the supportive features in private and public LCHs and to identify the facility-related disparities. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a classification of private and public funding, four LCHs were selected. Satisfaction with 23 supportive features across four domains (barrier-free, safety, aesthetics and leisure) was rated by older residents in selected homes. The variances in supportive features across home type and sex were examined using the Mann–Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis test. Findings: There was no significant difference between private and public LCHs for 19 features. However, those in private LCHs were more satisfied with the height of toilets, ease of opening windows and color of walls than residents of public LCHs. Conversely, public LCHs elicited higher satisfaction among older residents than private homes for their courtyards. Sex influenced satisfaction with supportive features in both homes. Originality/value: The strengths and weaknesses of supportive features in two typical types of LCHs with different founding sources were identified and interpreted in relation to their operational characteristics. The context-specific findings, along with practical recommendations, provide insights into improvements in ageing-friendly environments in LCHs. These insights can inform efforts to promote environmental quality and support the health and well-being of older people.