DESIGN A RESTROOM SUITABLE FOR THE SENIORS—DEVELOP THE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS FOR TAIWAN’S RESTROOM

The present paper, through the comparison of restroom design specifications between the US and Japan as well as the review of decrees, case investigations and expert interviews, explored how to target on the restroom in buildings and home to conduct design in order to improve the seniors living security and satisfaction after Taiwan enters an aging society in the future. Research conclusions: 1. This study found that Japan restroom specification include wheelchair toilets，inner-toilet equipped with colostomy equipment and multi-functional toilets, while the United States adopts accessible toilet. Therefore, Taiwan shall be in response to the building types and their usages to design restrooms of simple type and multiple-function type, respectively. 2. In additional to personal use, the elderly restroom may involve in issues of the assistance provided by carer and the usage of men and women as well as the conflicts with wheelchair users. Therefore, it is suggested that the development of such design specifications should be conducted from several dimensions of gender equality, accessibility, safety and comfort etc. and take into account of space planning and toilet room design, including how to accommodate different needs for toilet room, accessible facilities, toilet subsidiary accessory contents, washbasin, guide signs, etc. In the future, Taiwan should consider the economic factor and public acceptance to adopt demonstration site for setting, and then incorporate it into legislation in order to cope with the coming aging society.