The Elderly
619
Typically, the capacities of the elderly are less than those of younger product users and workers. These capacities involve strength, range of motion, and duration of activity as well as diminished vision and hearing. Conditioning can restore some strength and motion for the elderly and treatment may restore vision and improve hearing. Currently, there is a growing sensitivity to the need to design for those with reduced capabilities because of aging. For example, lighting standards now include an adjustment factor for people older than 55 years when selecting illumination levels.
The Disabled
Medicine today extends the life of many people with disabilities. For example, today the
survival rate for victims of automobile crashes is much higher than in the past. The unfor-
tunate part is that many of these victims have some permanent disability. Today, people
with disabilities from disease and injury are part of the mainstream of society. Federal and
state laws require that public buildings, transportation, and certain housing include
accessibility for the handicapped. Employment laws prohibit an employer from denying
employment to someone who is disabled because the workplace cannot accommodate
them. There is even a federal law that mandates that federal agencies ensure that office
equipment (including computers) be accessible by disabled individuals.5