Articles
Parks and gardens as contributors to older people’s perceived well-being and health
Article number
1435_42
Pages
319 – 326
Language
English
Abstract
Seniors are a group with specific requirements that also apply to the use of green spaces.
The aim of this study was to analyze a relationship between well-being and health of seniors and their perception and ways of using parks and gardens.
The research used an original, non-standardised questionnaire containing 1) questions about self-rated health and quality of life, 2) the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, 3) self-developed questions regarding green spaces.
The survey was conducted in Poland, among people 61-98 years old.
Analyses included descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, the Chi2 test, and ANOVA. Results indicated that over 80% of the seniors declared that spending time outdoors is important for them.
They emphasized the importance of time spent outdoors regardless of their health, quality of life, and well-being.
Most people with poor well-being declared spending more than 5 h a week outdoors, and those with good well-being 1-5 h a week.
More than half of the seniors (58%) preferred spending time in a garden, and only 22% favored a park.
The seniors declaring good well-being, as compared to those declaring poor well-being, often claimed that a day spent in the garden contributes to better quality sleep and considered gardening as a form of physical activity.
The seniors with poor well-being more often declared that when they feel depressed, spending time in the garden lifts their spirits.
Over 70% of seniors admitted to have pleasant memories related to the gardens from their childhood.
The most remembered garden plants were peonies (28% of respondents) and roses (26%), tomatoes (41%), and apples (38%). Our research demonstrated that gardens and parks are an important contributor to older people’s health and well-being.
The aim of this study was to analyze a relationship between well-being and health of seniors and their perception and ways of using parks and gardens.
The research used an original, non-standardised questionnaire containing 1) questions about self-rated health and quality of life, 2) the WHO-5 Well-Being Index, 3) self-developed questions regarding green spaces.
The survey was conducted in Poland, among people 61-98 years old.
Analyses included descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, the Chi2 test, and ANOVA. Results indicated that over 80% of the seniors declared that spending time outdoors is important for them.
They emphasized the importance of time spent outdoors regardless of their health, quality of life, and well-being.
Most people with poor well-being declared spending more than 5 h a week outdoors, and those with good well-being 1-5 h a week.
More than half of the seniors (58%) preferred spending time in a garden, and only 22% favored a park.
The seniors declaring good well-being, as compared to those declaring poor well-being, often claimed that a day spent in the garden contributes to better quality sleep and considered gardening as a form of physical activity.
The seniors with poor well-being more often declared that when they feel depressed, spending time in the garden lifts their spirits.
Over 70% of seniors admitted to have pleasant memories related to the gardens from their childhood.
The most remembered garden plants were peonies (28% of respondents) and roses (26%), tomatoes (41%), and apples (38%). Our research demonstrated that gardens and parks are an important contributor to older people’s health and well-being.
Authors
A. Heród, B. Szewczyk-Taranek, B. Pawłowska
Keywords
elderly citizen, green spaces, green care, nature experiences, quality of life
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