In an era of worldwide urbanization and ageing, many studies found that urban green spaces (UGS) for care facilities for the elderly play a significant role in boost older people’s mental well-being.
UGS is not only the importance of the quality of life of seniors but also for the staff and visitors. UGS motivates physical activities, recreation, and social interactions. Due to its benefits, decision-makers can plan to access green space more in busy urban environments.
Encourage Physical Activity
Research shows that physical activity can lead to a better quality of life as we grow older. For instance, gardening or light exercise such as walking in the park.
However, many older adults are difficult to access walkable spaces due to one reason or another such as busy roads, walking distance of a park, etc.
Providing safe routes and paths to urban green space and parks can impact positively on all ages, especially important to older members of our communities. Like walking, gardening can also help to have a boost in seniors’ health both physically and mentally.
Studies showing that older adults who take daily outdoor walks or gardening have significantly fewer complaints in pain, sleep and other problems when compared to those who do not go outside daily. In addition, older gardeners accessing a community garden not only enhances physical activity, but they are more likely to eat more vegetables for a better diet.
Build Better Mental Health
Along with the physical benefits of green space, nature actually supports mental health and well-being. A study found that childhood exposure to green space such as parks, forests, rural lands, etc that can reduce the risk of developing an array of psychiatric disorders during adolescence and adulthood.
Even looking out our window into a garden or forest or viewing pictures of nature can help to reduce stress in life. These mental benefits can become especially significant in older people suffering from chronic stress or experiencing stressful events such as the loss of a loved one.
Having access to green spaces can reduce health inequalities, improve well-being, and aid in the treatment of mental illness. Some analysis recommends that we should spend more time on physical activity in a natural environment. It can help remedy mild depression and reduce physiological stress indicators.
In older adults, physical activity in green spaces for a fit body that can be linked to better moods. It contributes to a decrease in the chance of depression, reduced stress levels and improved cognitive function.
Enhance Social Connection
Finally, another important reason that green space increases social connection between older individuals. Due to the attraction of people to spend time outdoors where they interact more with their neighbors and develop closer relationships.
Loneliness and isolation can be an especially difficult problem for older adults. The presence of urban green spaces can encourage positive social connection that is ways that enhance health and well-being. Social connection has also been linked to positive health behaviors including increased physical activity and mental health.
Nearby nature can increase social connections on a neighborhood level in a number of ways. From the planning and creation of neighborhood green space to positive social encounters that occur
Just walking or watching nature together can increase the quality of life in our aging populations. These social interactions can help alleviate some of this loneliness.
For many older people, gardening provided more than just social connections. They report that gardening connected them to past and future generations. It helps to deduct the gap of memories, social events and opportunities for spiritual healing.
Conclusion
The ageing of the population calls for measures that help prevent or reduce disease and disability among older adults and keep the older population healthy longer. Our aging parents need to live green space that can filter air, remove pollution and attenuate noise. That is a golden reason that we should plan to build more in the green residential environment, where the older population generally spends more time than the younger population due to retirement or increasingly limited mobility.
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