What Affects Older Adults' Viewing Behaviors in Neighborhood Open Space: A Study in Hong Kong.

Mu-Fei He,Yan-Peng Leng,Ming-Yi He,Shu-Lin Shi,Shao-Yi Wang

doi:10.3390/ijerph18052430

Mu-Fei He, Yan-Peng Leng + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052430

Copy DOI

Abstract

Research on older adults’ behaviors, living environments, and their quality of life (QoL) has grown rapidly. Viewing behaviors, although broadly acknowledged as critical for older adults’ QoL, have not been systematically examined in situ. What affects the viewing behaviors of older adults in neighborhood open space (NOS) is still unclear. This study conducted unobtrusive continuous observations in NOS of two residential estates in Hong Kong. With spatio-temporal analyses with ArcGIS Pro and statistical analyses with SPSS, principal influential factors to viewing behaviors of older adults in NOS were identified, including distances for viewing, landscape attractiveness, body supporting elements, as well as moving and interactive behaviors. How these factors would affect older adults’ well-being and QoL is discussed from the perspectives of supportive landscape design, sense of control, prospect and refuge, and social support, etc. Corresponding design implications are proposed to enrich existing NOS design knowledge for older adults’ quality of life.

Highlights

According to Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN, it is projected that the proportion of older adults, i.e., people who aged 65 or above, will reach 16% in 2050, from
Accumulating evidence reveals that neighborhood open space (NOS) could contribute to quality of life (QoL) of older adults by providing spaces for outdoor activities, natural elements that are beneficial to older adults’ physical and mental well-being, and opportunities for various interactions that would contribute to social well-being [8,10,11]
As this study focused on the viewing behaviors of older adults in NOS based on two sites on one weekday and one weekend/public holiday each, based it would

Summary

Introduction

One fundamental issue of population aging is how to sustain and improve older adults’ quality of life (QoL), which mainly focuses on health (physically, mentally, and socially) and life satisfaction [2,3]. Due to declined health status, they would be more confined to their immediate residential environments as they age [6,7] Under such circumstances, neighborhood open space (NOS) would play an important role in sustaining or even improving older adults’. Accumulating evidence reveals that NOS could contribute to QoL of older adults by providing spaces for outdoor activities, natural elements that are beneficial to older adults’ physical and mental well-being, and opportunities for various interactions that would contribute to social well-being [8,10,11]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion