An Analysis of International Research Trends on Spatial Cognition in the Elderly Using Co-occurrence Word Analysis

The global population is aging rapidly, leading to a continuous increase in research on the elderly. As this demographic shift progresses, studies related to spatial cognition in older adults have emerged as significant social and academic issues. The decline in spatial navigation abilities due to aging has a profound impact on the independence and quality of life of the elderly, necessitating deeper exploration in this area. This study aims to analyze international research trends on spatial cognition in older adults. The research was conducted based on the international academic database Scopus. The study analyzed the literature by year of study, field of study, and country, and utilized VOSviewer, a co-occurrence word analysis software. The results revealed a steady increase in studies on spatial cognition in the elderly since 2003, with engineering being the most prominent field of study. The co-occurrence analysis identified key terms such as 'spatial cognition’, 'Spatial navigation’, and 'memory’, emphasizing the critical role of architectural design in supporting spatial navigation abilities in older adults. This underscores the need for cognitively supportive environments that enhance wayfinding and improve quality of life for aging populations, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary and empirical research in the future.