Medicine calendar : A Design Solution to Help the Chinese Elderly Improve Their Experience of Taking Medicine

Abstract: Population aging is occurring all over the world as fertility declines and life expectancy rises.China, as the developing country with the largest population, is also experiencing thisphenomenon. However, the pension insurance system and health care system for theelderly has not been developed well enough. There is a growing need for the society toaddress the current living situation and needs of the elderly in China.The theoretical framework is design for aging and ritual designs. Sustainable thinking andhuman centered design thinking is used through the whole design process. By applyingcollaborate design methods such as interviews, some important aspects in old people’s lifewere been found out and medicine issues is the one of them. Most elderly have the issue offorgetting to take medicines and taking wrong medicines. These issues may cause greatdangers to the elderly with specific diseases such as high blood pressure.In the end, with the interaction and direct conversation with the Chinese elderly, the designsolution to medicine issues shapes the design proposal: a medicine calendar. The medicinecalendar can help the elderly remember to take their medicine properly and improve theirexperience of taking medicines. It can also draw the attention of the society to take theseniors’ life experience into account.