Getting the Elderly Outdoors (06-21-10)

Susan Rodiek and her colleagues have developed an extraordinarily valuable tool for people creating outdoor spaces for the elderly.  Research has shown there are significant benefits for seniors when they spend time outdoors (mood, sleep patterns, health), and this video series provides the information/guidelines needed to create spaces that the elderly will use.  Rodiek interviewed 1,600 people in 68 randomly selected assisted-facilities scattered across the United States to learn more about how the physical design of healthcare settings encourages or discourages the elderly from using outdoor spaces.  “The Value of Nature for Older Adults” also incorporates insights gleaned from recent research in psychology, gerontology, and design. Material is provided on 3 DVD’s.  The first “shows how access to nature and the outdoors affects quality of life for older adults, with information on research, health benefits, and interviews with leading experts,” the second “uses photos, sketches, and 3D models to show how building layout can impact outdoor use, and provides cost-effective solutions for improving outdoor access,” and the third “describes the main outdoor features that are reported by residents to impact their outdoor usage, and how these can be improved – such as seating, shade, and walkways.”  A full review of this material will be published in an upcoming issue of Research Design Connections.

Susan Rodiek.  2009.  “The Value of Nature for Older Adults:  People, Policies, and Places.”  Center for Health Systems & Design, Texas A&M, College Station, Texas.