The Future of Aging

Interesting exhibition at the Design Museum focusing on six deign initiative for older people.

By 2040 over a quarter of the UK population will be over 60 and this show looks at how design is reimagining products, services and environments. The Design Age Institute set up in 2020 bringing together 5 organisations and research facilities to work on this.

There were some good ideas but other things feel more like what young people think older people want. I admit I have just had a significant birthday so am a bit oversensitive about age at the moment!

I liked an upright mobility scooter like a chair which was narrow enough to go through doors and fits under tables and desks. It would not just good for old people. My favourite was Gita, a cargo carrying robot which adapts to a person’s walking pace and manoeuvre round objects. I want one now for shopping etc. Basically a shopping trolley you don’t have to pull! I did worry about the idea they were encouraging people to talk to them! Maybe build in Siri!

There was also an intergenerational garden but I felt hat had been done before plus a birdsong app to test hearing which seemed a bit niche!

Closes 27 September 2022

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