As the world’s population ages, educational institutions are being called to reimagine their social role, not only in preparing younger generations, but in fostering belonging, inclusion, and health across all ages. This edited volume explores Community-Based Learning (CBL) as a powerful and underutilized strategy for strengthening intergenerational connections and …

This presentation focuses on the common goal of assisting those aging in underserved neighborhoods who are struggling to stay in their homes and communities. Our current systems do not approach aging and age-related health…

As global populations age at an unprecedented pace, culturally grounded and human-centered design strategies are urgently needed. This paper shares findings from a systematic review that investigates best practices in age-friendly design and policy across six countries: China, Japan, Singapore,Italy, Germany, and…

Fashion or necessity? Trendy device or assistive technology? Throughout history, eyewear has played various roles in human civilization. It can be a reflection of personality, a symbol of social class, an indication of a medical condition, a bellwether of trending cultural and political phenomenon or a wearable technology that intrigues the mass consumers. Eyewear as a product category is embedded in fashion, while also…

As the global aging trend accelerates, the development of age-friendly design strategies and policies tailored to local communities is becoming increasingly crucial. Through this systematic review, we investigated the design strategies and policy implementation related to aging population and its relevant…

The aging and increasing diversity of the United States’ population presents opportunities for future innovators and entrepreneurs, across disciplines, to embrace new ways of thinking. From the spring of 2022 to the fall of 2023, a series of multidisciplinary, intergenerational, and cross-cultural experiential courses were developed and implemented to guide…

Eyewear serves as a crucial aid in enhancing vision for a diverse range of users. Yet, finding devices tailored for individuals with specific vision challenges related to aging, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, and Diabetic Retinopathy, proves challenging in standard optical stores. This article conducts a systematic review of available products in the market designed to enhance vision for those facing the mentioned visual impairments. The study's conclusion provides…

There is a lack of studies that focus on the needs and voices of older Asian adults in design research. Anti-Asian hate crimes, especially towards senior Asians, have increased across the country after the breaking out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Educators have a responsibility to utilize empathic design and co-design methods to help raise awareness of this…

There is a lack of studies that focus on the needs and voices of older Asian adults in design research. Anti-Asian hate crimes, especially towards senior Asians, have increased across the country after the breaking out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Educators have a responsibility to utilize empathic design and co-design methods to help raise awareness of this…

How do you design a product for an end user who is nothing like you — who comes from a radically different generation, culture and way of life? Answer: Design with the user…

Eyewear is a product at the intersection of medical devices and fashion accessories. It is an everyday object most people take for granted without much consideration of its functionality and symbolic meaning. Many consumers do not know that their frames are not fitting them well, leading to potential damage to their visions…

This study focuses on transformative learning experiences for college students by exposing them to cross-cultural communication and participatory design activities despite language barriers. During the Spring semester of 2022, inter-disciplinary college students from Drexel University were paired with older Asian adults in the communities…

Design thinking is a mindset and toolkit to effectively support the process of problem-solving and product development. Expanding knowledge of design thinking to non-design major students helps introduce the methodology and enhance creativity to a broader audience…

This study investigates the effectiveness of using participatory design toolkits to create communications across diverse participants. It evaluates and provides an effective method to assist inter-generational and cross-cultural communications, especially with…

Workshop using a variety of participatory design toolkits to elicit the audiences’ stories, memories, and emotions. Based on that, the speaker will talk about the methods used with students and local immigrant aging communities to co-create tangible solutions with the community.