Evaluation Study of Public Interaction Spaces for the Elderly in a Community—Taking the Railway Station Community in Jiaozuo City as an Example

Abstract

Under the guidance of the “community pension” initiative and adhering to the people-centered principle, this study focuses on the public interaction spaces within eight communities in the central urban area of Jiaozuo City. It assesses the current state of these spaces and the needs of the elderly population. A comprehensive evaluation system, integrating both subjective and objective factors, is developed for this purpose. Utilizing the railway station community as an illustrative case, this paper delves into the interaction behavior characteristics of various elderly groups and proposes optimal design directions for various public interaction spaces, encompassing functional diversity, space aging adaptability, and construction refinement.

1. Introduction

According to the seventh national census data, China’s population aged 60 and above accounts for 18.70%, which compared with the sixth national census in 2010, is an increase of 5.44 percentage points. It is expected that the elderly population will continue to grow in the future, exceeding 300 million by 2025, exceeding 400 million by 2033, and reaching 487 million around 2050, which will account for one-third of the total population [1]. The intensification of population aging and the acceleration of urbanization have promoted the transformation of urban settlements in China to “stock renewal”, which poses a huge challenge to the living environment and the quality of life of residents, especially the life of older adults. As the smallest unit of social space, the community is the foundation of stock renewal and the grassroots carrier of social conflicts. The common problems of old communities, such as single space function and insufficient supporting facilities, have been unable to meet the increasingly diversified needs of residents. Optimizing the community’s public interaction space is very important to improve the quality of life of older adults. It can not only stimulate the community’s vitality and enhance the sense of belonging but also is an indispensable material and spiritual cornerstone of the old-age service system.

With the evolution of the global economy and values, the scope of interaction space studies has broadened from a single physical space to the interactions between environment and space, environment and demand, and environment and behavior [2]. As a result of the interaction between people and space, the success of a city hinges on its ability to stimulate and foster social interaction among residents [3]. This interaction is not only related to the vitality of the city but also directly affects the quality of life and health of residents [4]. Grijalba proposed methods to assess the health risks of housing and its environment, comprehensively assess the housing stock, and define appropriate intervention strategies for different environments or types of housing [5]. Furthermore, the urban space environment is intricately linked to the daily activities of older adults, further underscoring the importance of optimizing urban space layouts and enhancing the quality of the living environment. Kurtenbach investigated interaction activities within community disorderly spaces [6]. Jiménez found that residents’ active participation in community environment construction can increase the use opportunities of space and promote spatial fairness by evaluating and transforming abandoned space [7]. Robert B. [8] and Peter Henry [9] studied the activity characteristics of community residents in Illinois, and based on this, they proposed design requirements to promote the mental health and group integration of older adults. Gehl, Jacobs and others emphasized that the diversity of users and their activities is the source of vitality of urban public space [10,11]. Gómez-Varo proposed a comprehensive measurement method, combined with architectural and social environmental factors, after empirical testing in Barcelona and found that urban vitality is related to population density and physical characteristics [12].

The research on the interaction space of the domestic pension community began with Hu Renlu’s planning and design of the residential courtyard space to foster improved neighborhood environments. Subsequent research has concentrated on spatial exploration and constituent elements, guided by supporting standards and living environment classifications, primarily targeting large cities like Shenzhen and Nanjing, while comparatively limited research has been conducted on medium-sized cities. There are 135 medium-sized cities in China, with Henan Province housing the largest number of such cities, where the development of elderly care services lags, thereby rendering research on the interaction spaces of elderly communities particularly significant [13]. The study of scholars on old-age care in Henan Province mostly focuses on the application of the life circle theory to the planning of public and service facilities. For example, Zhai Shiyan and Kong Yunfeng focus on the construction of a 15 min life circle urban service facility planning model and carry out practical exploration through case studies of typical cities such as Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Pingdingshan, and Kaifeng to optimize the layout of service facilities [14]. However, tailored research for specific cities and demographics remains scarce.

In the evaluation of community interaction space, British sociologists introduced the “social impact assessment” in 1998, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the satisfaction of interaction spaces [15]. After entering the new century, research pays more attention to science and technology and accuracy. With the aid of geographic censuses and coded data [16], interaction technology, and the Internet of Things, spatial factors that facilitate urban resident interaction have been quantitatively analyzed [17]. Regression analyses [18], the Tobit regression model, the analytic hierarchy process [19], the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method [20], space syntax [21], principal component analyses [22], and IPA [23] have been to establish a community space evaluation system. Among them, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is widely used because of its advantages in solving uncertainty and ambiguity problems. In the selection of evaluation indicators, scholars mainly construct evaluation systems from the perspectives of environment [24], safety [25], comfort [26], and convenience. This covers the number of types of activity facilities, street width [27], intersections [28], green space and other objective indicators, and facilities’ accessibility [29], as well as subjective indicators like environmental aesthetics.

In the study of objective indicators, Savageau developed a comprehensive indicator system to assess the quality of living environments in metropolitan areas of the United States [30]. In the study of subjective indicators, Dai Qin enhanced the aging of urban waterfront spaces by considering spatial accessibility, diversity in spatial types, complete facilities, spatial ecology, and other factors [29]. Yizhao Yang combined subjective and objective evaluation, collected objective data such as housing conditions, land use rates, street networks, and subjective evaluations of the community, and used a multi-level linear model to analyze satisfaction [31]. However, the selection of indicators is mostly universal, and the supplement for the personalized characteristics of community space is insufficient.

The research focus of interaction space design has changed from single material space to diversified and comprehensive thinking. This transformation not only focuses on the spatial form but also goes deeper into the level of interaction psychology and interaction behavior in the interaction space [32]. It emphasizes the importance of the sense of domain and belonging in the interaction space [33], makes the negative space positive, and creates a more humane space.

Therefore, this study takes medium-sized urban communities in Henan Province as a sample, focuses on the elderly group, combines macro-data and micro-feedback, and focuses on the supply and demand relationship between demand and the status quo. The research method combines quantitative and qualitative analyses, objective evaluation, and subjective feelings. The selection of evaluation indicators takes into account both universality and individuality. Based on the collation and induction of standards, laws, and references formulated by relevant departments, it focuses on important factors and indicators, such as the life of older adults and the impact of space on older adults, and constructs a characteristic evaluation index system. In terms of optimization design, it emphasizes diversified participation, from static to dynamic, from rigidity to elasticity, and constructs community space in an all-around way, aiming at promoting the diversified and personalized development of old-age care services. This study seeks to improve the level of local social old-age care services and realize the pertinence and regional innovation of research.

2. Research Area and Method

2.1. Area of Study

2.1.1. Jiaozuo City Center City Community

(1)

Research area selection

Among the 12 medium-sized cities in Henan Province, such as Jiaozuo, Anyang, and Pingdingshan, Jiaozuo stands out, particularly in terms of community-based home care services for older adults. The city has not only won numerous national and provincial pilot titles and achieved excellent results in national competitions, but it was also the first in the province to achieve full coverage of community elderly care service facilities. Since 2010, Jiaozuo has entered the stage of population aging, with the proportion of people aged 60 and above reaching 18.88% in 2020. This aging rate is 0.18 percentage points higher than the national average and has increased by 7.41 percentage points compared to 2010 [1]. Although the total area of Jiaozuo’s five municipal districts only accounts for one-fifth of the city’s total area, the proportion of the elderly population in these districts reaches 29.00%. Therefore, selecting the central urban area of Jiaozuo as the research area is conducive to understanding the current state of community development in Jiaozuo.

(2)

Typical community selection

To ensure the research’s representativeness, a stratified selection method was used to choose communities at the district, street, and community levels in the central urban area of Jiaozuo. With the proportion of the elderly population aged 60 and above as the core criterion and taking into account factors such as community titles, year of establishment, and community area, the following communities were ultimately identified. Huochezhan Community on Jiaonan Street, Dianjian Community on Jiaoxi Street, Fengyuan Community on Xinhua Street, Hepingjie Community on Dongfanghong Street, Chengfenglu Community on Yixin Street, Jiulishan Community on Jiulishan Street, Yueshan Community in Yueshan Street, and Zhulinlu Community on Liwan Street. An evaluation system was then constructed based on these eight typical communities. Combining scholars’ classification standards [34] and the characteristics of elderly social interactions, including time specificity, content diversity, and form aggregation, the social behaviors of elderly groups in these typical communities were classified into spontaneous behaviors such as leisure chatting and fitness activities; social behaviors such as companionship, caregiving, and recreational activities; and necessary behaviors such as commercial transactions. Correspondingly, public interaction spaces were also categorized into specific types that support these behaviors: leisure chatting spaces, fitness spaces, recreational spaces, and commercial transaction spaces.

2.1.2. Selection of Specific Communities for Research

This study selected the railway station community as a case to carry out specific analyses to verify the construction of the evaluation index system. The reasons for this choice are as follows: First, as a typical old community, it carries rich historical memory and social changes and has great research and transformation value; second, it has a diversified public interaction space and has built more than 10,000 square meters of outdoor and more than 4800 square meters of indoor activity venues under the co-construction mode; third, the proportion of the elderly population aged 60 and over is as high as 34.81%, which is an important sample for studying the demand for elderly services; and fourth, it has received many honors. It has been awarded the title of “National Demonstrative Elderly-Friendly Community” and has been rated as a “Five-Star Community” for many years, highlighting governance and service innovation.

(1)

Scale and scope

The railway station community was formed by the merger of two functional committees and an old neighborhood committee. It is located on Jiaonan Street, covering an area of 1 km², starting from Industrial Road in the north and reaching Jiaozhi Railway in the south, Zhenger Street in the east, and Nantong Road in the west. The community comprises 24 residential compounds, including the Dianwu West Compound, Dianwu South Compound, and Dianwu North Compound, divided into 9 grids. Additionally, there are 19 enterprises and institutions, 417 merchants, and 18 social organizations within the community (Figure 1a).

(2)

Spatial distribution characteristics

The characteristics of the architectural layout are as follows: the design of residential buildings adopts dislocation, staggered, torsion, interspersed, and other techniques, combined with standardized and diversified design, forming rich courtyard forms such as point type, strip type, determinant type, and enclosure type (Figure 1b).

The activity node characteristics are as follows: The core vitality area of the railway station community is the 1.96-hectare Zhanqian Road Railway Station Park, equipped with landscape pavilions, fitness equipment, bulletin boards, seats, and central plazas to provide comprehensive leisure space. The north courtyard activity corner is another social active point in the community (Figure 1c).

The traffic layout characteristics are as follows: The community adopts an open design, and the internal road network is composed of “community-level” roads and “inter-residential trails”. With the semi-circular design as the core, the connection between the double rings is skillfully constructed to form a “smooth but not interspersed” main road layout to ensure smooth traffic while taking into account safety (Figure 1d).

2.2. Research Method

This study uses a combination of online and offline research methods and a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis methods.

(1)

Evaluation system construction stage

Through on-site interviews, field surveys, questionnaires, and other traditional offline field research methods, we were able to perceive the use of community public interaction spaces and the interaction needs of older adults; at the same time, APPs such as Baidu Map, “One Step Road”, and ‘Six Feet’ were used to collect spatial data and survey trajectories to reflect the status quo of spatial nodes. In addition, literature research and statistical analysis were used to ensure the rationality of the evaluation system.

(2)

Index quantification stage

The statistical analysis methods used in the subjective indicators include the entropy weight method (EWM), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. Among them, the AHP is a method of multi-criteria decision making by establishing indicators and assigning weights. According to the principle of information theory, the EWM measures the relative change degree of its influence on the system by calculating the information entropy of the index. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is a comprehensive evaluation method based on fuzzy mathematics theory, through the synthesis of fuzzy sets and fuzzy relations. The subjective and objective combination weighting method was used to determine the weight of the evaluation index of the interaction space, and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used to measure the index. The specific steps can be seen in the relevant literature [35]. For objective indicators, ArcGis 10.7 technology software was used for spatial analysis to quantify processing, which provides the theoretical basis and data support for the optimization strategy of the railway station community.

(3)

Observation stage of elderly group behavior

The study used fixed and mobile observation methods, supplemented by photography and video recording methods, to observe the community interaction space of the railway station for a long time. The observation time was determined to be 7:00–20:00 according to the efficient sampling methods and pre-survey results of scholars such as Li Daozeng [36] and Mei Ta [37]. Each hour was used as a statistical cycle, in which the noon period was merged into two hours, and the specific period was subdivided into 12 segments, each recording 10 min. Excluding special weather and holidays, we continued to observe for one week on 2 July 2024. During the observation process, data such as the number of people, behavior types, and characteristics were recorded. According to the predetermined annotation format, the elderly activity information was recorded on the site plan, and the “point-symbol” method was used to label the behavior subject and type with easily identifiable symbols, simplify and visualize the data, and describe and analyze the time and spatial distribution characteristics of the elderly group’s interaction behaviors.

2.3. Establishing Evaluation Index

The construction of the evaluation index system was divided into subjective index selection research, objective index selection research, and index weight research. Firstly, the evaluation index database was established through literature research, policy standards, and field research on the current situation of use demand and interaction space. Secondly, combined with user surveys, SPSS statistical analysis, and expert consultation methods, the indicators were screened and corrected. Finally, the AHP was used for subjective weighting, the EWM was used for objective weighting, and the mean value of the two was calculated to reduce the error. The whole research process is shown in Figure 2.

2.3.1. Selection of Subjective Indicators

(1)

Establish evaluation index database

First, we sorted out the relevant literature [38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45] and extracted high-frequency indicators. Secondly, on-site interviews were conducted with 80 older adults in eight typical communities from 19 to 25 April 2024 to collect their actual needs and feedback on community interaction spaces. Based on field observations, the main issues faced by older adults in interaction spaces are summarized as follows: disorganized space utilization, inadequate facility supply, and limited social interaction. The needs of older adults in the community and the existing problems in the community were transformed into evaluation indicators. Finally, to ensure the objectivity and authenticity of the evaluation system, the indicators obtained from the field research were compared with the high-frequency indicators of the literature research, and it was found that 65% of the indicators overlap, which verifies the rationality of the initially selected indicators. After summarizing and deleting duplicate indicators, a database of 46 indicators was formed.

(2)

Index screening and correction

On 1 May 2024, a questionnaire survey was conducted among older adults in eight typical communities. The questionnaire included two parts: basic information and content items. Basic information covers gender, age, education level, living style, living years, and physical condition. The content item uses the Likert 5-point scale to score 46 indicators, ranging from 1 (not important) to 5 (very important). A total of 300 questionnaires were distributed, and 282 valid questionnaires were collected. Subsequently, based on the average score of each indicator, indicators with a mean value of less than 3 were removed (Figure 3).

After processing the questionnaire data, 33 indicators were extracted, reorganized, and named by the factor analysis method in SPSS 26.0 software. After factor rotation, the cumulative variance explanation rate was 69.638%. Caesar’s normalized maximum variance method was used for rotation, and 0.5 was used as the empirical value to screen out the significant load term. The index that the load is not greater than 0.5 in each dimension is excluded. According to the load of each factor in its dimension, the 29 indicators were divided into 5 categories and named as diversity, humanization, comfort, convenience, and safety. Furthermore, when applying AHP to represent the structural relationships among different levels visually, we utilized A, B, C, and D to denote the goal level, criterion level, sub-criterion level, and index level (

Table 1. Evaluation of public interaction space for the elderly in the community-subjective indicators.

Criterion Layer	Sub-Criterion Layer	Index Layer
B1 Diversity	C1 Spatial diversity	D1 Functional mix of space
		D2 Number of activity areas
		D3 Number of recreational facilities
	C2 Landscape diversity	D4 Interesting landscape features
		D5 Ornamental landscape
		D6 Landscape color
B2 Humanization	C3 Space humanization	D7 Intensity of community management
		D8 Activity orientation
	C4 Humanization of facilities	D9 Signage
		D10 Sanitation facilities
	C5 Service humanization	D11 Service radius of refuse collection point
		D12 Ideology of respect for the elderly
		D13 Service diversification
B3 Comfort	C6 Comfortable space	D14 Static and dynamic zoning
		D15 Microclimate
		D16 Neighborhood atmosphere
	C7 Comfortable facilities	D17 Sheltering facilities
		D18 Number of sitting-out facilities
		D19 Open space materials
B4 Convenience	C8 Convenient access	D20 Effective width of walking track
		D21 Road accessibility
		D22 Road levelling
		D23 Accessibility of activity venues
	C9 Convenient parking	D24 Parking convenience
		D25 Parking design rationality
B5 Safety	C10 Space safety	D26 Space layout safety
		D27 Safe walking space
	C11 Facility safety	D28 Facility maintenance
		D29 Lighting facilities

).

2.3.2. Selection of Objective Indicators

(1)

Establishment of evaluation index database

Given the authority and orientation of relevant policy standards, they have important guiding significance for the construction of objective material conditions of community interaction spaces. By combing the relevant policy standards of the community [46,47], it is clear that the community mainly includes the space environment, road traffic, and supporting facilities, and these are taken as the basic framework for the selection of community evaluation indicators. In terms of space environment quality [48,49] and considering the impact of pollution on the health of the elderly and that the premature death rate caused by outdoor pollution in China accounts for up to 40% of the world, air quality (AQI) was taken into account. At the same time, the influence of building density on living comfort and resource environment pressure was also taken into account. Public service facilities, especially medical and community health services, play a key role in improving the quality of life of older adults. In terms of road traffic, the bus station and intersection density were used to evaluate the convenience of bus travel and walking suitability to meet the travel needs of older adults.

(2)

Index screening and correction

Using the Delphi method, 14 professionals, including 6 university scholars, 4 street office directors, and 4 community workers, were invited to conduct multiple rounds of opinion collection and feedback to determine the final indicators (

Table 2. Evaluation of public interaction space for the elderly in the community-objective indicators.

Criterion Layer	Index Layer
B6 Space environment	D30 Air quality
	D31 Building density
B7 Public service facilities	D32 Pension facility density
	D33 Medical facility density
	D34 Sanitation facility density
B8 Road traffic	D35 Bus station density
	D36 Intersection density

).

2.4. Data Sources and Index Quantification

2.4.1. Data Sources

The data sources used in this study were divided into two parts: statistical survey data obtained through field offline research and spatial data crawled online. The spatial data include vector data such as the street vector road network, POI data and community boundary, and building outlines from academic resource websites. The statistical survey data include crowd activity data, the number of intersections, elderly satisfaction data, etc.

2.4.2. Index Quantification

For the quantification of subjective evaluation indicators, this study combines the AHP method of the subjective evaluation method and the EWM of the objective evaluation method. Through the combination of these two methods, the weight was comprehensively determined, and the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used to measure the quantification of the objective evaluation indicators (

Table 3. Data sources and calculation methods of objective evaluation indicators.

Criterion Layer	Index Layer	Data Sources	Calculation Method
Space environment	Air quality	China Environmental Monitoring Station	Each community value was determined by spatial interpolation
	Density of buildings	Community land use status quo, street neighborhood committee statistical data	Area of buildings within the community/total area of all classes
Public service facilities	Density of elderly care facilities	Field survey statistics data and Baidu map POI data	The number of universities for the elderly, associations for the elderly, activity centers for the elderly, community daycare institutions, community nursing homes, and community elderly care service centers (stations) is divided by the community area
	Density of medical facilities	Field survey statistics data and Baidu map POI data	Number of medical rehabilitation institutions/total area of the community
	Density of sanitary facilities	Field survey statistics data and Baidu map POI data	Number of public toilets, garbage disposal stations, and garbage cans/community area
road traffic	Density of bus stops	Field survey statistics data and Baidu map POI data	Number of bus stops/total area of the community
	Density of intersection s	Field survey statistics	Number of intersections/total area of the community

).

3. Results

3.1. The Characteristics of the Interaction Behavior of Older Adults in the Railway Station Community

3.1.1. The Time Characteristics of the Interaction Behavior of the Elderly Group

Figure 4b demonstrates a “bimodal” trend in the diurnal variation of activity heatmaps among the elderly, with peak times occurring between 9:00 and 10:00 and 16:00 and 18:00. The overall trend aligns with that of females, peaking at 171, while males exhibit a peak of 163 corresponding to the evening peak. Females are more active in the morning, and males dominate in the afternoon, suggesting gender differences in activity preferences. In terms of activity types, males prefer high-intensity entertainment such as chess, card games, and running, whereas females tend to focus on childcare and social dancing, reflecting gender roles and differing activity preferences. Figure 4c illustrates that the activity heatmap for independent elderly individuals shows significant peaks, indicating high levels of participation and social vitality. Assisted and dependent elderly individuals exhibit a “bimodal” trend with peaks reaching 98 and 12, respectively, reflecting their preferences for social activities during specific periods. The activity characteristics of the three categories of elderly individuals vary: independent elderly prefer fitness and leisure entertainment, engaging in a diverse range of activities with a broad scope; assisted elderly tend to engage in moderate exercise and socializing, primarily through rest and conversation; and dependent elderly rely on assistance for their activities, limiting their scope. Figure 4d shows that there are significant differences in the temporal distribution of various social interaction behaviors in the railway station community. Fitness activities peak between 7:00 and 10:00 and 18:00 and 20:00, reflecting the elderly’s habits of morning exercise and evening walks, forming a “morning and evening” activity pattern. Leisure entertainment is concentrated between 14:00 and 19:00, with common forms including playing chess and cards. Rest and conversation occur primarily between 10:00 and 12:00 and 16:00 and 18:00, often near flower beds. There is coupling in the variation in the number of participants in different social interaction activities, particularly between fitness and leisure entertainment, where the number of participants often trends in opposite directions.

3.1.2. The Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Interaction Behavior of the Elderly Group

The spatial distribution of health–fitness interactions, mainly including fitness activities and walking and jogging, is significantly concentrated in the area of fitness equipment in the community, forming an obvious agglomeration while showing a linear extension along the park’s footpaths. The spatial distribution of leisure and recreation interactions, which are dominated by chess, cards, and dancing and are highly dependent on seats, tables, and open spaces, is roughly clustered around these facilities, suggesting the importance of the provision of facilities to promote leisure and recreation activities. In contrast, the leisure and conversation interaction behaviors showed more flexibility and randomness, as they were not confined to specific facilities but were scattered throughout the community, forming a patchy distribution. This distribution pattern reveals the low dependence on environmental conditions and the spontaneity of this type of interaction behavior. The accompanying care interaction behaviors, on the other hand, tended to be located in open and visually focused areas, such as plazas, sculptures, and rockeries, which not only provided sufficient space but also attracted families and caregivers due to their landscape features. The spatial distribution of commercial transactions points to the commercial facilities in the community, reflecting the direct influence of economic activities on the spatial layout and the clustering effect of crowd behavior.

3.2. Analysis of Evaluation Results of Public Interaction Spaces in Railway Station

3.2.1. Analysis of Evaluation Results of Subjective Indicators

From 3rd to 10th August 2024, a questionnaire survey was conducted among the elderly population in the railway station community. A total of 158 valid questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 92.94%. The questionnaire data were entered into SPSS 26.0 software for a reliability and validity analysis. After obtaining a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.742, a KMO (Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin) value of 0.636, and a significance level of 0.000, the following conclusions were drawn. In the criterion layer, the satisfaction from high to low was humanization (B2), convenience (B4), safety (B5), comfort (B3), and diversity (B1). Among them, service humanization (C5) is the highest. In terms of convenience, there is a big difference between traffic convenience (C8) and parking convenience (C9), and the parking problem is prominent. In terms of safety, space safety (C10) and facility safety (C11) are at a medium level. In terms of comfort, the facility comfort (C7) score is very low. In terms of diversity, the overall score is low.

In the indicator layer, nine items, including the ideology of respecting older adults (D12), service diversity (D13), road smoothness (D22), facility maintenance (D28), and the atmosphere of neighborhood interaction (D16), scored above 4, which were the aspects that the elderly groups were more satisfied with. On the other hand, the condition of the landscape vignettes’ interestingness (D4), the number of sitting-out facilities (D18), the ornamental landscape (D5), the landscape color (D6), and the material of sitting-out facilities (D19) is relatively poor. According to the validation of the research data, the actual landscape status quo is manifested in the lack of landscape variety and single color, which directly leads to the low score of the overall landscape diversity. The insufficient and poor material of open space facilities is mainly attributed to the over-concentration of public areas with fitness facilities and open areas, which makes older adults tend to take a short rest on fitness equipment, and there is a lack of sufficient pavilions, leisure seats, and other exclusive open space. Although the existing pavilions are made of wood, the leisure seats and fitness equipment are generally made of stainless steel or stone, which are not comfortable enough, further aggravating the poor resting experience (Figure 5).

3.2.2. Analysis of Objective Index Evaluation Results

According to the authoritative data released by the Department of Ecological Environment of Henan Province, it is known that the excellent and good rate of air quality in Jiaozuo city from 2021 to 2023 is less than 60%, which is mild pollution. According to the “Planning and Design Standards for Urban Residential Areas” (GB50180-2018) [47], the density of low-rise buildings should be controlled below 43% and that of high-rise buildings should be 22%. The study found that 54.6% of the communities in the railway station community exceeded this limit, indicating that the building layout was crowded. In terms of public service facilities, medical facilities are widely distributed, with the Electric Hospital, Jiaozuo Second People’s Hospital, Community Health Service Center, and Jiaozuo Dadesheng Orthopaedic Hospital, ensuring that residents have convenient access to medical services. The old-age facilities are concentrated in the community service center, covering the daycare center and the comprehensive old-age service center, providing residents with a full range of old-age services. Sanitation facilities are reasonably distributed and sufficient in the entrance, street, and garden of the community. There are public toilets in the garden, and garbage disposal stations are set up on the east and north sides of the community to maintain the ecological environment effectively. The bus is a common means of transportation for urban residents, especially for older adults. The average walking distance from the residential area to the nearest bus station is 150 m. The farthest distance is 300 m from Zhongfu Courtyard and Agricultural Bank Courtyard, and the nearest distance is 10 m from Xinhua Bookstore Courtyard and Guanghua Courtyard. The density of street intersections is a key indicator to measure the connectivity of regional streets. Its level reflects the strength of path selection ability and is closely related to the size of land patches. The density of street intersections in this area reaches 8/km², showing good street connectivity (Figure 6).

4. Railway Station Community Space Optimization Design

Based on the in-depth analysis of the behavioral characteristics of the elderly group and the comprehensive consideration of the subjective and objective evaluation, the subsequent optimization design starts from the three dimensions of functional complexity, space aging, and construction refinement. For four different types of public interaction space, one to three specific examples of high-frequency use of middle-aged and older adults were selected and are referred to as XQ, K, XX, and S, respectively. At the same time, to facilitate the distinction, these examples were further refined into numbers 1, 2, and 3.

4.1. Rest Conversation Type of Interaction Space

By reinforcing the spatial domain and moderate privacy and combining the layout of floor paving, green landscaping, and rest facilities, the project meets the needs of older adults for diversified activities such as sitting, reading, childcare, chess, and card recreation and creates a composite space with the functions of both socializing and personal activities. In response to the low rating of the comfort of the facilities, a variety of wooden chairs are introduced at both locations and placed in a safe and comfortable environment with shading facilities, creating a small social gathering place. At the same time, the needs of wheelchair users are taken into account by ensuring that the tables and chairs are stable and have rounded edges. At the level of refinement, XQ-1 is treated with attention to detail, maintaining appropriate spacing between seating and activity areas while ensuring visual interaction and facilitating communication among community members (Figure 7).

4.2. Health Fitness Type of Interaction Space

The transformation of K-1 closely matches the daily pattern of older adults in the community who go to school with their grandchildren and accompany them to outdoor activities; it adds a children’s play space and incorporates intergenerational interoperability design. The design balances the needs of older adults for sunlight and sitting facilities with the children’s preference for slides and sandboxes, creating a static activity area for older adults through a combination of enclosing layout and greenery and ensuring that there is a clear line of sight for both older adults and the children. At the same time, additional fitness equipment is installed with a rest and exchange area for older adults and a soft plastic walking path, so that older adults can also enjoy rest or exercise when accompanying children. Aiming at the problem that the K-2 area has various behaviors leading to the confusion of space function and the under-utilization of a large green space, the renovation mainly starts with the material pavement and landscape and divides the area through material changes and color contrast, using non-slip stone to clearly distinguish between the walking and staying space, cleaning up the messy plants, replanting the trees to create a landscape, creating a place for shade, rest, and communication in one of the forest spaces, and enhancing the recreational activities. The path is interesting and realizes potential of the different types of scenery (Figure 8).

4.3. Leisure and Entertainment Type of Interaction Space

The recreation area includes quiet activities such as reading, handicrafts, and painting and neutral recreation such as mahjong and chess, but subjective measurements show that the diversity of activities and the richness of the spatial landscape are insufficient. Given the lack of fitness facilities at XX-2, many older adults with independent mobility choose to go to other places with more complete facilities for activities; the design here strengthens the service space and improves the nodes. Additional tables and chairs are installed in the neutral recreation area to enrich the content of the service. A quiet recreation area is added in conjunction with the site to enrich the activities of the community nodes, and at the same time, the area is reasonably divided, with an emphasis on the static and dynamic zones, and shrubs and green plants are used to form a semi-enclosed space to ensure communication. The semi-enclosed space is formed to ensure the privacy and security of interactions. In the configuration of facilities, attention is paid to safety details, such as setting up simple handrails and double-side handrails, adopting gentle slopes instead of steps, and adding non-slip treatments and eye-catching signs to ensure the safety of the passage of older adults. Combined with the monotonous spatial status quo of the XX-1 landscape design, the renovation attaches importance to the reasonable collocation of plant species and the staggered arrangement of plant communities, avoiding large areas of a single green space, such as the use of trees, shrubs, flowers, lawns, etc., to create the space. At the same time, attention is paid to the economy of the plant configuration, selecting plants that are easy to manage and maintain, avoiding the pursuit of visual effects and avoiding ignoring economic costs that would result in difficulties in the later stages of maintenance (Figure 9).

4.4. Interaction Spaces for Commercial Transactions

To improve the functionality and suitability of commercial streets for older adults and to solve the problems of road congestion and sidewalk occupation, temporary business points and prohibited areas are set up to guide vendors to be placed in an orderly manner to avoid occupying roads and affecting the safety of traffic and older adults. Importance is attached to barrier-free design, optimizing the parking scheme of non-motor vehicles, enhancing the safety of facilities, setting up simple handrails and bilateral handrails, and adopting gentle slopes, anti-skid treatments, and eye-catching identification to ensure the safety of older adults. Changes are made to enhance the attractiveness of walking spaces, enrich the building facade design, increase transparent windows, slogans, and decorative lights, maintain the permeability of the street, and create a comfortable shopping atmosphere (Figure 10).

5. Discussion and Conclusions

5.1. Discuss

(1)

When exploring the temporal and spatial characteristics of the interaction behaviors of older adults, the results of this study echo Kurtenbach’s research on the importance of public space to social activities. Revealing the activity patterns of older adults in a specific period during the day helps to expand the understanding of the people groups that are often neglected in urban design [6]. In addition, this study also studied the influence of gender and physical condition differences on activity preference, which is consistent with the discussion of Lantz and Rossi on the use of gender in public space, emphasizing the importance of gender sensitivity in community space design [50].

(2)

In the construction of the evaluation index system, this research integrates subjective and objective factors, which is consistent with the social impact assessment method of Omuta and deepens the understanding of older adults’ satisfaction with community spaces [15]. The study of Dujardin further emphasized the impact of the built environment on residents’ self-rated health and provided important support for the methodology of this study [16]. The evaluation index system can be applied to other medium-sized communities in China to provide theoretical support for the evaluation of urban community interaction spaces.

This study puts forward preliminary suggestions at the design, planning, and policy levels to optimize public interaction spaces for older adults. At the design level, it is consistent with the views of Gehl [51] and Jacobs [52] on meeting the needs of users and the diversity of activities in public spaces. The design principles of functional complexity, space aging, and construction refinement are proposed to provide design references for other communities and enhance the vitality and availability of community space for older adults. At the planning level, the research findings support the discoveries of Zhu [53] and Yue [54] that increasing the utilization of spatial function combinations and mixed-use areas can enhance the quality of urban space. This suggests that medium-sized cities should focus on rationalizing functions in future community space planning, meeting the needs of the population through composite functional forms, guiding orderly activities, and promoting the formation of high-quality spaces.

At the policy level, in line with the active aging policy advocated by Menec [45] and others, this study has contributed to the creation of more inclusive and age-appropriate communities by focusing on the specific needs of older adults.

There are several limitations to this study. Field research is affected by factors such as observation time, place, and climate, resulting in limited data collection and sample representation, which affects the detailed observation and recording of research content. In future research, we expect to improve the accuracy and objectivity of the results by increasing the observation data. In addition, the current evaluation system of community public interaction spaces mainly covers the subjective dimension and some objective material space dimensions. In the future, it can be extended to more fields, such as society and the economy, for a more comprehensive analysis. At the same time, it is noted that the design of objective indicators needs to be further refined.

5.2. Conclusions

To address the macro-challenge of population aging, enhance community service functions, and improve the quality of life for older adults, this study constructs a public interaction space system integrating objective and subjective evaluation based on eight typical communities. This paper uses the railway station community to analyze the time and space characteristics of interactions among the elderly and conducts an empirical test on the evaluation index system. On this basis, this study further proposes an optimized design scheme for hot-spot interaction spaces.

(1)

Interaction behavior characteristics

The interaction behavior of the elderly group in the railway station community shows significant characteristics in time and space. In terms of time characteristics, the daily variation in activity heatmap value of the elderly group showed a “bimodal” pattern, with morning and evening as the peak periods of activity. Among them, the gender difference is obvious: men are more active in the afternoon, while women are more active in the morning. Different physical conditions also lead to different activity characteristics. The independent elderly show high activity and a rich and wide range of activities; the activities of helping and caring for older adults are relatively limited, but they are still actively involved. In addition, the time distribution of different interaction behaviors is also different. The morning and evening peaks of health and fitness activities are obvious: leisure and entertainment activities are mostly concentrated in the afternoon, leisure conversations are more common in the morning and evening, and there is a coupling between the changes in the number of people in various types of activities. In terms of spatial characteristics, the interaction behavior of the elderly group also shows obvious regional preference. The fitness and recreational activities are mainly concentrated in the fitness equipment area and the park pedestrian walkway, while the leisure and entertainment activities rely on facilities such as seats, tables, and open venues. Rest and conversation activities are more flexible and random, covering all corners of the community; accompanying care activities tend to choose open and visually focused areas. Business transactions are concentrated in the community business facilities area.

(2)

Comprehensive evaluation index

The elderly group gave a positive evaluation of the performance of the railway station community in terms of humanization, convenience, and safety but has low satisfaction in terms of comfort and diversity. In particular, there is much dissatisfaction with the interest in landscape sketches, the quantity and quality of leisure facilities, and the ornamental and color richness of the landscape. These subjective feelings are consistent with the results of field research. The objective data show that the density of community buildings is high, and while medical, health, and other public service facilities are complete, the function of pension service facilities is lacking, and the layout of bus stations and intersections is reasonable.

Based on the results of the comprehensive evaluation index measurements of the railway station community and the analysis of the characteristics of the interaction behaviors of older adults, the core challenges of high-density development of the communities, insufficient facilities for older adults, deficiencies in the design of the interaction spaces, and the inefficient use of space are identified. To tackle these issues, the following strategies and recommendations are suggested for scholars and policymakers: scholars should further explore the principle of fine-tuned construction, optimize the allocation of resources through scientific layout, and install additional aging-friendly facilities to enhance the suitability and satisfaction of older adults. At the same time, scholars should strengthen the theoretical and practical research on the principles of aging-friendly spatial design and build safe and comfortable community interaction environments from the perspective of the needs of older adults, taking into account the diversity of landscapes, the humanization of facilities, and the convenience of parking. In addition, the implementation path of the principle of functional composite is explored to realize the efficient integration and utilization of spatial resources through the replacement, composite, and complementary deployment of spatial functions. To effectively implement design strategies that align social goals with specific space settings and promote sustainable use, it is recommended that policymakers adopt public participation mechanisms, build diversified participation platforms, and encourage older adults to participate in depth in the design of aging-appropriate spaces to ensure that retrofitting projects accurately meet actual needs. A special fund should be set up, and laws and regulations should be formulated to provide financial guarantees and policy guidance for retrofitting projects. At the same time, a social synergy mechanism should be established to attract the participation of social forces, non-profit organizations, and other diversified subjects and promote the overall optimization and innovative development of community space through cross-sectoral cooperation and resource integration (Figure 11).