Co-design for active aging: An approach to stimulating creativity of the young elderly in urban China

Abstract

Co-design has been acknowledged as a promising approach to stimulating creativity and promoting local innovation. This paper presents a participatory case study on how co-design stimulates the creativity of the young elderly aged 50–64 in Chinese cities and towns for the first time. The 3-year study analyzes changes in design behavior (making, enacting, telling) of the young elderly in the co-design activity through comparison, and provides insights in the co-design approach, organization structure, and co-design principles. This paper provides experience for co-designing with the young elderly and encourages more stakeholders to engage in co-design for an active aging society.