Examining Furniture Preferences of the Elderly in Greece

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the characteristics of the choices of the elderly, regarding the features of furniture that people use in their daily lives. The study is limited to the age group 55–90 years old in Greece and presents chairs in their homes, which they have been used from 5 to 50 years. An early research question to be answered in this study is How the individuals behave consumeristically based on their experiences. The results at an early stage show that their choices are based on traditional-classic furniture with specific characteristics, concerning parameters such as aesthetics and functionality. Also, secondary elements in the design such as construction details (crosspieces, dimensions, spindles) play a pivotal role in their choices. Particularly important is the fact that a large percentage of the participants responded positively to the technological development of this furniture. © 2021, ICST Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering.