An ergonomics intervention for the female elderly residents of Hospicio de San Jose

• Main Authors: Alvarez, Kristine T., Hilario, Winny D., Uy, Helene Bernice G.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2000
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/11999
• Institution: De La Salle University

Executive Summary. For the past ten years, the rate of growth of the elderly population in the Philippines has been substantially and progressively high. To date, there is an estimated four million elders in the Philippines, 59% of which are women. Hospicio de San Jose, a typical institution for the elderly, is used as a subject of the study in developing ergonomic interventions for their elderly female residents. From their population of 31 elderly women, it was investigated that these elders experience difficulties due to environmental factors while performing daily tasks. To alleviate at least 80% of these difficulties, ergonomics intervention was done in the form of an ergonomically designed dining chair to relieve seat pan discomfort and lack of a backrest, an ergonomically designed bed to facilitate easy mobility to and from the bed, and a bathing system that would reduce or eliminate bending while bathing. Overall, complaints on difficulties and pain were reduced by at least 80% when the proposed prototypes were used. The proposed prototypes have dimensions that conform, from the 5th to the 95th percentile of the female elderly residents, since majority of the residents is female. The materials used in the proposed prototypes are chosen because of their outstanding characteristics of durability, cost, availability, and manufacturability. The proposed dining chair is designed with a cushion to relieve seat pan discomfort. Instead of a contoured seat pan, which is said to be worse than a flat seat pan, the proposed dining chair houses a cushion that follows any individual's contour. Moreover, an ergonomically designed backrest is incorporated into the design since elders have a difficult time balancing on the presently high dining stool, which causes frequent back aches. Lastly, the proposed dining chair has armrests that facilitate mobility to and from the chair, and further supports the elders' balance on the chair. The proposed bed has an adjusted heights, conforming to the elders' popliteal height. This facilitate mobility to and from wheelchairs, or from lying to standing positions, and vice versa. Secondly, the newly designed bed has bed rails on both sides to facilitate mobility from a sitting to a lying position, and vice versa. Moreover, the bed rails ensures the safety of the elders from falling from the bed. Lastly, the proposed bathing system replaces the pail-and-water-scooper system with a basin-and-platform system. This new system includes a chair, where the elders can sit while taking a bath, and reduces bending by not letting them bend toward the tip of the basin, and toward the bottom of the basin. The change in the design of the dining chair, bed, and bathing system has reduced the pains experienced by the elders, and securing ease of use and comfort for them. This improvement is beneficial for both the institution and the elders. The elders' complaints will be reduced because their pains are reduced. Consequently, the institution will not incur much cost for medical personnel or medications.