Twenty-third International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Current demographic shift trend necessitates the development of new, sustainable services for older adults. This paper shares methodology and findings of research that developed an Applied Gerontological Service Model for older adults in the rural areas of İbradı, Antalya. The study adopted a qualitative research approach using Participatory Rural Appraisal Techniques. Data were collected from 14 elderly individuals, 8 professionals and 30 participants through semi-structured interviews, social mapping and Venn diagram. Employing maximum sample triangulation method, evaluations were made through thematic analysis, descriptive method and SWOT analysis. The analysis of interviews with the elderly emphasized the living situation of the elderly in İbradı, their basic needs, care problems and reachability and accessibility to services. The opinions of professionals were about living situation of the elderly, their needs, and participation in services and activities. Research findings showed that elderly people in rural areas face multidimensional challenges: limited health services, low accessibility to services, loneliness and social isolation. Risk factors were low education level, loneliness, high number of elderly population and need for care. Within the framework of environment and person adaptation theory, the proposed model envisages creating intervention areas by considering the health, psychological, physical, social, economic and environmental needs of the elderly. The model aims to increase the diversity, accessibility and quality of services in cooperation with local institutions and organisations.

ROOM 4 (K513) : 2025-10-24 12:15

Designing for Our Future Selves

Kimberly Mitchell
Workshop Presentation

Aging isn’t just about others—it’s about all of us. Every product, service, and space we design today will shape the world we grow old in tomorrow. Yet, design often overlooks older adults, reinforcing biases that leave people out. This workshop is an invitation to rethink how we design for aging, not as a limitation, but as an opportunity to create inclusive, beautiful, and functional experiences for everyone. Through hands-on exercises, we will challenge age-related biases, explore new ways of thinking about design, and envision the future of aging. Participants will uncover barriers older adults face, brainstorm innovative solutions, and test their ideas against real-world needs. Through guided activities, role-playing, and rapid prototyping, we will step into the shoes of our future selves and design with empathy, insight, and intention. At the end of the workshop, participants will receive a workshop booklet to bring back to their institutions, providing a structured guide for continuing these conversations. They will also gain access to the Design for Aging Resource website, a comprehensive repository of tools, literature, and methodologies to support inclusive design. This workshop is for designers and non-designers alike. No matter your background, this is your chance to reshape the way we think about aging—because if we’re lucky, we’ll all experience it someday.

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The Emotional Cost of Institutionalization

María Camacho García
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Unwanted loneliness has become a critical social and public health issue in contemporary societies, particularly impacting older adults. This study explores how institutional living affects the experience of loneliness among elderly residents in public care facilities, considering loneliness as a key aspect of emotional well-being. Based on qualitative research involving in-depth interviews with 34 older adults living in three public residential centers in the province of Seville, the analysis focused on emotional ties, life trajectories, identity, health, and the institutional environment. The findings reveal that the residential care model plays a significant role in shaping emotional experiences, with loneliness being strongly associated with the loss of meaningful relationships, functional decline, detachment from familiar surroundings, and challenges in building a sense of belonging within institutional settings. The results highlight tess, he need to move toward person-centered models of care, emphasizing the importance of nurturing social bonds, recognizing individual identities, and tailoring care to promote a more humane and emotionally sustainable aging process.

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Community-based Dementia Care and the Inclusion of People with Dementia in Nigeria

Ellis Onyedikachi George
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

The experiences of people with dementia are not limited to neurological issues, but also significantly include aspects influenced by mundane social interactions contained in everyday life. Yet, dementia scholarship in Nigeria focuses predominantly on neurological and biomedical concerns. While research on social aspects of dementia, such as care, is on the increase in Nigeria, most draw on the views of carers without including the perspectives of people with dementia. This study uses the perspectives of people with dementia and family and community members to illustrate the community’s role in the inclusion of people with dementia. The study draws on data collected during fieldwork in a low-income community in Nigeria, including interviews conducted with seventeen persons with dementia and other community members, and fieldnote entries. Three main themes emerged from a thematic analysis of the manually coded data, illustrating 1) the dis/advantages of communal infrastructures, 2) how communal care arrangements influence inclusion, and 3) the role of communal beliefs in the inclusion/exclusion of people with dementia. The results revealed ways in which the rural, compound-based, and collectivised nature of the community facilitates access to relationships, care, and other resources for community members with dementia. In contrast, the precarity of primarily filial-based non-structural care, the inaccessible nature of houses and roads in the community, and karmic beliefs around dementia and care pose exclusionary challenges to community members, especially those physically disabled or with no connections to their children. Consequently, the study recommends structural yet contextualised and inclusive dementia care frameworks in Nigeria.

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Interacting Effects of Outdoor Air Pollution and Physical Activity on Cognitive Health among Older Adults in India

Sayani Das, Liat Ayalon
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Cognitive health in ageing populations presents a critical public health challenge, particularly in regions such as India with high ambient air pollution. Grounded in the Stress Process Model, this study examines the interplay between outdoor air pollution—an environmental stressor—and physical activity (PA), a resilience resource, in shaping cognitive health among older Indian adults. Using the quantitative multilevel approach, the analysis utilises nationally representative data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI Wave 1), involving 31,902 adults aged ≥60. Cognitive function was assessed using composite scores, PA was self-reported, and annual PM2.5 exposure was estimated using satellite-derived, state-level data. Multilevel regression analyses, adjusted for sociodemographic and health covariates at individual and household levels, tested interactions between PM2.5 and PA. Results indicate that physically active older adults demonstrated significantly higher cognitive scores (β=2.54, p<0.001); however, PM2.5 exposure attenuated this benefit through a negative interaction (β=−0.13, p<0.001). Notably, 32.9% of participants faced high PM2.5 exposure despite being physically active, while only 16.2% experienced high pollution combined with inactivity. A synergistic antagonism (Synergy Index=0.72; 95%CI:0.64–0.81) further indicated that pollution diminished PA’s protective effects on cognition. Although the cross-sectional design limits causal inference, the findings underscore the combined influence of environmental and behavioural factors on cognitive ageing. Promoting cognitive health in later life requires a dual strategy—integrating physical activity promotion with air quality improvements—particularly in low- and middle-income countries such as India. This study supports the development of intersectoral policies addressing the medical, environmental, and behavioural determinants of healthy ageing.

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Addressing the Vulnerability of the Elderly Population in Bangladesh

Saiyedatun Nesa
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Population ageing is an emerging global challenge, exacerbated by increasing life expectancy and declining fertility rates. Bangladesh, like many countries, is experiencing demographic ageing, with 9.21% of its population currently over 60 years of age. The growth rate of the elderly population is more than three times higher than the overall population growth, and projections suggest that by 2050, one in five people in Bangladesh will be elderly. This demographic shift presents significant social and economic challenges, including a reduced working-age population, increased demand for healthcare, and higher pension and social security costs. If these issues are not addressed, they may undermine the country's fiscal stability and economic growth. This paper examines the vulnerability of Bangladesh's elderly population and proposes potential solutions. Through qualitative and quantitative research methods, including literature reviews, stakeholder analysis, and surveys, the paper identifies key factors such as social isolation, economic insecurity, and health challenges that contribute to elderly vulnerability. Four policy options were evaluated, with the establishment of senior centers emerging as the most feasible solution. These centers would provide a range of services, including health programs, skill training, and community engagement, to improve the physical and mental well-being of elderly citizens. The paper outlines an action plan for the implementation of this policy, emphasizing the need for collaboration between the government, community organizations, and the private sector. Effective implementation could enhance elderly well-being, reduce healthcare costs, and support Bangladesh's development goals, including those outlined in the SDGs and the 8th Five-Year Plan.

ROOM 1 (K21) : 2025-10-24 11:10

Timeless Desires; Ageing Bodies

Ananya Mahadevan, Tanisha Agarwal
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Older adult sexualities are a vital yet often overlooked aspect of the well-being of older adults in India. It is molded by complexities surrounding physical well-being, cultural taboos, norms, and identity evolution. Sexual intimacy among young adults is widely acknowledged. However, older adults are often viewed as asexual beings. The discourse surrounding their intimacy is stigmatised and neglected. Pre-existing research on older adult intimacies has predominantly focused on the Western context, leaving a notable gap in understanding this topic within the framework of Indian culture. This paper challenges the societal perception and stigma regarding sexual intimacy among older adults through the lens of Hindi films. Using discourse analysis as a methodological approach, we conduct a qualitative reading of the movie Thai Massage (2022) and the short film Khujli (2017), to explore the stigma, freedom, and taboos surrounding aging bodies in contemporary India within the larger sociological and cultural setting. This paper aims to understand the ideologies that marginalise the sexual identities of older adults and contribute to the discourse on aging, intimacy, and agency within society.

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Investigating Gaze Behaviour while Multitasking in Kitchen Spaces - a Study of Spatial Design while Ageing-in-Place

Sukesha Ghosh, Swati Pal
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Performing multiple tasks in a kitchen environment demands physical effort with cognitive abilities like physical strength along with focused attention and memory retention capabilities, which decline with age, presenting challenges for independent living. While the correlation between spatial design and human task performance is well-documented, there is limited understanding of how spatial design directly influences spatial activities among older adults. This study examines the gaze behavior of older adults (N=31, aged 65-81) across three compact kitchen typologies—single, double, and L-shaped—prevalent in urban Indian contexts. Statistical analysis with ANOVA and Pearson correlation was used to compare saccade duration, fixation duration, and fixation count to evaluate motor task performances. The findings highlight that spatial design highly influences aging behavioral strategies, impacting individual task efficiency. By comparing three kitchen typologies, the L-shaped kitchen platform demonstrated enhanced task efficiency and comfort while working. This study offers insights to the designers and behavioral researchers, establishing the importance of ergonomic kitchen designs in promoting usability and independence for aging populations.

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