Accommodating seniors in the design of urban parks

Progress in medicine, nutrition and physical care has prolonged the human life span over the last century. At present seniors are healthier and engage in more physical activity than any other previous generation of seniors. The Baby Boomers, the first generation of Canadians that have made physical activity a life style, are the cohort born between 1947 and 1966. Their sheer number is their most prominent characteristic. As they are retiring, it is important to establish an approach to natural places that will continue to satisfy their needs. An urban park is any public space set aside in a populated area to provide for active or passive recreation. Research shows that there is a positive correlation for seniors between attendance in public parks and wellness benefits. The objective of this study was to explore whether urban parks are prepared to satisfy the needs of the coming generations of seniors. A Nominal Group Technique Session was conducted on a convenience sample of seniors to determine the needs in regard to urban parks. Twenty four needs were identified and supported with landscape architecture theories. Results show that parks may only satisfy traditional needs and may not satisfy other needs for the elderly. More research is needed to produce design principles to satisfy those needs and to quantify the possible economic benefits that the use of parks could bring to the Health Care System.