The Acoustic Environment of Care Homes

This book examines the indoor acoustic environment of China's residential aged care facilities (RACFs). Chapter 1 provides a brief introduction to the current situation in China's residential aged care facilities (RACFs). This includes the distribution, size, demand, and future development direction of these facilities. The chapter then presents an in-depth introduction and analysis of the indoor environment of these facilities, especially the acoustic environment. In Chapter 2, a case study and site investigation are described, and these are used to analyse the current state of the acoustic environment in these facilities, including the sound pressure level (SPL) and reverberation time (RT). Chapter 3 details the perceptions of the elderly regarding the acoustic environment of RACFs and the correlation between the sound environment and other physical environments at the facilities. Chapter 4 presents the impact of the acoustic environment on the well-being of the elderly residents and an analysis of the effects of different sound sources on the activities of the elderly. The effects of the acoustic environment on physiological indices of the elderly under different sound sources in RACFs is analysed in Chapter 5. Finally, in Chapter 6, certain improvement strategies for the indoor acoustic environment of RACFs are proposed based on the analysis. This book is a comprehensive exposition of research on the acoustic environment of RACFs in China, and is useful reading for researchers in acoustics, architecture, design, engineering, and healthcare facilities. It could also be used as a scientific introduction for readers interested in this field.